A Shinobi's Claws
by Venom Spirit
Summary: The Uzumaki are the clan of longevity and their vitality is well known. Naruto is abducted for just these traits to use to cure subordinate of his abductor, but when they decide he's too good to not be used for more afterward, they push him to his limits to create something powerful. Problem is, they might have made him stronger than they can handle. Wolverine!Naruto
1. Birth of an Animal

**Nw story, I know I'm not right for not updating most of my stories, but this is a challenge I took up and have been at for a while. SO please forgive. But now that I've got the first chapter of it done, I can proceed here on to the rest. This will be the final story I start for a while, I hope, until I work more on other stories and this one further unless something like altering happens.**

 **This challenge is by devilzxknight86 and it's a Wolverine/x-men inspired Naruto AU, heavier on the Wolverine influence. But it's not a crossover and it's not intended to be. You should check out some of Devilz work, it's awesome stuff. Now there is another author out there doing this challenge that I know of named Contramancer. His story is called Project Naruto: Shinobi X, it's pretty good and should check it out, but since he's already taken the story one way, I'll take it another way while putting my own spin onto things. I'll be using influences, ideas and even little additions from Wolverine and X-men for your reading joy and where to find. So be on the lookout for those.**

 **I think that's it, so please Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Wolverine or any x-men or Marvel related references, ideas, or materials found in this story.**

Naruto shivered as he sat in an alley, trying his best to stay out of sight of the masses on the main streets of Konoha. Holding himself the 8-year-old boy was trying his best to hold back his sniffles of chills and whimpers of pain. He had just barely managed to scramble away from a beating some of the adults were giving him, his body showing many bruises, scrapes, cuts and few telltale signs of something broken and damaged under the skin. Wiping away the blood from his face with his dirty shirt, h tried to stay silent.

He didn't understand it, why did he have to suffer like this? He only wanted to attend the Academy. But no sooner than an hour after being released from the academy on his first day and walking down the street was he attacked, pulled into a different alley and beat. The adults yelling things, like how he shouldn't be strong, around their kids and other things that just really hurt. He realized words did hurt, because, even when in a few days his bruises and cuts, everything would be fine again, he'd still remember what they said.

So there he stayed out of sight, too scared to draw attention to himself to move, too hurt to move more than needed. He'd go without food tonight, no doubt not getting back to his apartment until dark. That is until he heard someone approaching. Drawing in on himself, trying to make himself as small as possible, using the garbage and debris in the alley as makeshift cover, holding his breath to stay silent, as still as possible. Hoping they'd just pass by and not notice him.

No luck.

"What are you doing there?" Asked a male voice, not old like an adult, younger. He didn't answer but tensed when he saw the source of the voice, a pair of feet from his viewpoint, kneel down and show his face where Naruto could see. A teen in purple clothes, white hair, dark eyes wearing glasses, with a headband on his forehead. "You can come out, I won't hurt you." He spoke once more.

Naruto didn't want to come out, but he knew if he wanted to hurt him, he would just drag him out from his hiding spot, he was trapped in his hiding spot with nowhere to go and no way to stop the older boy from doing what he wanted. So he tentatively edged out from the back of his space an forward, out from was sore, but he ignored it, used to the sensations already. He stood to his height in front of the older boy though his eyes darted ready to run.

"what-..what happened to you?" Asked the boy who looked him over.

"...they hit me..." The young blond said diminutively.

"I...see." He spoke, looking at the boy, see his reaction to everything, how he looked to the streets when he said they, but he saw only people in the streets. "So you were... hiding then?" He asked and only got a nod from the young boy. He thought it over a moment before kneeling in front of the boy. "My name's Kabuto, what' yous?" he asked.

"...n-Naruto." The boy stuttered out slightly before his stomach spoke louder than his meek voice could right now. He looked away, embarrassed.

The older boy seemed to chuckle a moment. "Well, Naruto, tell you what, I have something that can help with that stomach of yours you can have it and eat it if you'll let me see where you're hurt and try to help okay? That sounds good to you?" He asked.

Naruto looked back at him before giving a slow hesitant nod. Kabuto reached into his pouch and pulled out a Nutribar, a meal supplement ration shinobi often kept on hand. tearing it open, he handed it to Naruto who took it and started to eat without question. Kabuto statted to look over his wound and soon h had green glowing hands working over his wounds. He was halfway done when Naruto had finished devouring his bar.

"You must have been hungry to eat that so fast. their taste isn't the greatest thing in the world ya know." He said with a smile but noticed the boy fidgeting a little. "Want another one?" He asked and after a nod, gave him two more to keep him occupied. When he finished the bars, Kabuto was nearly finished.

"Kabuto-San?" The boy spoke.

"Yes, Naruto?" He asked in return.

"Are you...a ninja?" He asked and Kabuto smiled.

"Why yes, I am. I'm a medic-nin to be specific. Like a doctor and a Ninja at the same time. See?" He stated, making him look at his arm where the last of his injuries was fading from sight quickly.

"Cool!" The boy exclaimed his previous hunger and pain forgotten now thanks to the food and healing, and now with a ninja in front of him, his excitement was palpable. "Can I do things like that?" He asked the older boy.

"Sure, so long as you study hard at the Academy like the other ninja in training and-" He stopped as he noticed the look on the boy's face. "What's wrong?" He asked and the boy looked away. "Naruto?"

"They...the adults. They hurt me because I was attending the academy now." He spoke, his voice meek once more. Kabuto understood it, and the reason behind why the adults did it, misguided as they were.

"Why do you let them do that you Naruto-Kun?" He asked, adding the suffix now.

"w-What do you mean let them? They corner me then beat me!" Not he was getting defensive, did the teen think he liked being beaten?

"They do yeah, but you don't have to allow that to happen if you don't want to. You have options open to you after all." He said.

"Options?" The boy asked, clear blue eyes gazing at the older boy in confusion.

"Well, you can run, like you do after your pranks I've heard about. Hide in places no one will ever think to look for you. You're a ninja in training and a great prankster as I hear, you can do things normal people can't do." He said.

"I try those, but they always find me, like they know where to look or where I'll run to." He said and Kabuto took up a thinking pose.

"What about Leaving?" He asked.

"Huh? What do you mean leaving, like leave the market area?" he asked.

"No I mean like leave the village." He voiced aloud.

"What!? I can't leave the village, that's-!"

"Naruto-Kun!... Why stay in a village where people beat you day after day like this?" He asked, kneeling to the boy's level. He caught the whiskered blonde by surprise with that question. Why did he stay? "Right now you are a civilian until you graduate the academy. You can leave the village whenever you want as a civilian. But once you become a ninja, like me, you can't leave, you'll be stuck. Do you really want to be beaten by them again? Made so hungry it hurts? Having to hide in an alley so not to be noticed?" He asked the boy.

"But...the old man, the Hokage. He cares about me, if I left, he'd be sad and-"

"If he cared, then why does he let this happen to you?" He asked the boy, making him question his own thoughts. "The Hokage has ninja all over the village who report everything to him. Don't you think a child being beaten is something that would be reported to him?" He stated.

Naruto froze at that line of the old man really know? Looking out from the alley towards where he knew the tower was, did old man Hokage really know he was being hurt and did nothing about it? He didn't want to believe, a nagging feeling that ached in the back of mind told him it was wrong, not wanting to believe the old man was like that. But Kabuto made him reason it out and think.

"You can leave Naruto. Get away from the hurt, the pain, the hunger...the loneliness, the glares." He spoke softly with his last two points, making Naruto snap his head upward at Kabuto. "You can see it in your eyes, You don't have anyone there for you, do you?" He asked and Naruto shook his head. "Then why stay here?" He asked simply.

"I... don't know anywhere's else to go. Who would take me in?" He asked.

"Plenty of people I'd imagine. You're a good kid who people mistreat for no reason. I bet you'd find a family outside of Konoha willing to take you in. Do you want to leave? Go to another village or town, find a family that might take you in?" He spoke and Naruto didn't respond for a moment.

"...My dream was to be Hokage. If I was Hokage, then everyone would respect me and acknowledge me." He spoke softly, looking at the ground.

"Do you have to be Hokage in order to get respect and acknowledgment?" He asked the boy. "That's a position, a title, for a person people will follow because of their achievements and power. So if you can be as strong and do things like the Hokage, would people respect you and acknowledge you then?" He asked the boy.

"I...guess? Maybe. I think so." He stated, following what Kabuto was telling him.

"There are other ninja villages and even ninja families that live in villages out of Konoha. You don't have to stay here to do all of that. If you want to stay knowing all of this now, that's your decision. But if you want to leave, I can help you with that." He told the boy, who looked up at him wide-eyed now.

"You'd help me? Really?" He asked and Kabuto nodded. "Why?"

"Because I was helped before. I woke in an orphanage with amnesia. I had no idea of who I was or where I came from. If not for the Matron at the time, I would never be who I am today. Now I want to help another who needs it. So how about it? Stay or Leave?" He asked.

"..." The boy stayed silent as he thought it over. There was still that feeling n the back of his mind that told him this was wrong, the old man wouldn't let him be hurt, Konoha was his home. But with the short conversation with Kabuto, he couldn't deny everything he said. The 8-year-old boy knew everything that was said had to be true in one way or another because it all made sense. Not only that, but Kabuto helped him, he was nice, that was more than what any adult besides Jij or Teuchi did for him. He'd miss them if he left but...

"How can I leave Kabuto-San?" He asked and Kabuto smiled.

"I'll tell you, but you have to be the one to do it. ow here's what you need to do." He told the boy, hiding a grin and gleam in his eye that wasn't so friendly.

[Alley by Konoha Gates]

"You have the backpack of supplies, the map and everything I gave you a few days ago right?" Kabuto asked Naruto. The boy nodded. "The scrolls and everything, how to use them and books on what to learn and train in?" Another nod. "Where to head for on your map once out of the gates?" An annoyed nod this time. "And your-"

"Kabuto-Saaaan..." The boy whined. "I got everything you told me to get do and everything. Left the note in my apartment like you told me with the key, cleaned it up, sealed all my stuff in the scroll like you showed me, spent some time with Jiji and the Ichiraku's, even Iruka sensei. Everything." H told the older white-haired boy, who held up his hands in placation.

"Okay, okay, just making sure Naruto-Kun, can't be too sure after all." He stated and looked at the boy. "This might be the last time we see each other in a long time. Maybe one day you'll come back and show me how strong you've gotten right?" He asked the boy with a smile.

"Right! Thanks for this Kabuto-san, I won't forget this." He said but flinched a bit.

"A headache again?" He asked the boy who nodded. A pill and a green glowing hand were offered to the boy, who took it and let the glow on his head soothe a headache away. Naruto sighed in relief, the headaches were a pain to deal with.

"Thanks Kabuto-san...for everything." He said and Kabuto nodded.

"You're welcome Naruto-Kun. Its almost time for shift change, you'll only have a few minutes at most. Make it count. Farewell Naruto-Kun I hope to see you again in the future." He told the boy before he left the Alley to let Naruto move on his own from he was far enough away, he ducked into another alley where the shadows of the day seemed longer and deeper.

"He'll be leaving here shortly. See to it he's picked up as planned." Kabuto stated.

"Orochimaru will be pleased. Completing your first major assignment in such a way to deflect suspicion will show favorably on you and your abilities Kabuto-San. Keep this up and you may yet replace me as his right-hand man in the future." Spoke a voice from the shadows that soon melted away, light returning to the alley to show Kabuto alone. Kabuto smiled, right hand to Orochimaru? Not a bad position to a powerful leader at all. However, he had some unfinished business with a false trail he had to establish.

[Naruto]

He rushed through the trees as fast as he could, avoiding obstacles and debris where needed. Kabuto was right, the gates were left unattended and the patrols had a gap right in this area he could take advantage of. So he ran hard and fast, not once looking back. He ran as hard and as fast as his legs could carry him. He only slowed down to eat a Nutribar and drink from the bottle he prepared and stopped only to relieve himself and check his map once that Kabuto showed him how to read.

He shouldn't have stopped.

While looking at his map, the sun lighting his map suddenly turned to shadow an before he could question it, there was a pain in the back of his head, and then darkness.

[Unknown location]

"So, Kabuto has finally come through then has he Kukuku." Spoke a figure as he looked down from a small slot in the wall before him at the blonde boy being thrown carelessly into the concrete cell with it's another inhabitant. The men carrying away the boy's backpack and belongings to be thrown elsewhere. "He took longer than expected, I would have thought he'd accomplish his task as soon as possible."

"Yes, master. He took his time to observe the boy than to approach and convince him to leave of his own choice, manipulating the boy to move as he wanted, rather than taking him so no one would be aware that the boy was taken. As far as anyone in Konoha will thank, the boy left of his own volition."

"Oh? Kukuku. Quite devious of young Kabuto then. Konoha lost it's Jinchuuriki and those in power, especially that old monkey will think they have only themselves to blame. I'll have to reward Kabuto later then. Not only has he brought me the boy, but to do it how he did." The figure spoke.

"Yes, though I must confess master, while not a doctor or scientist myself, I'm curious why the boy? I know him being Jinchuuriki is valuable but what uses does the boy provide?" The other spoke.

"Hmm, you wouldn't know, not anymore these days, but the Uzumaki are quite a catch. What do you know of them?"

"Well, the Uzumaki of Uzu no Kuni were feared for their prowess in Fuinjutsu, general power and skill in whatever pursuit each of their ninjas chose to pursue and large chakra reserves. They were wiped out by a coalition of three of the Major shinobi villages during the last war. Iwa, Kumo, and Kiri. Even then for every Uzu shinobi killed, 5-7 of the coalition's forces were killed in return. They were feared for a reason." He stated.

"Quite. You are correct and history, unbiased history, shows their power. They supported a friendship with the Senju, their cousins, and helped in the founding of Konoha but never joined their ilk. However, most are unaware of the various titles and rumors about the Uzumaki and their village. Their most famous being the Village of Longevity, for the Uzumaki were told to be gifted with such vitality, energy and life force to live a healthy, youthful and longer life than any other person in the world." Spoke the first.

"Truly?"

"Yes. Long life, greater personal energy, great life force, massive chakra reserves, natural healing that rebuked illness and poisons. Now Imagine that paired with the energy coursing through the boy as a Jinchuuriki to the most powerful of Biju."

"That's...but are we sure he is Uzumaki? They were supposed to be redheads, even in their mix blood descendants." The other stated.

"He is. If you study your history enough you'll know that he is. Hashirama Defeated Madara who wielded the fox, but where did it go? Who was Hashirama Married to? She eventually had to die so who was the only other Uzumaki to Live in Konoha aside from the Shodai's wife? Where was she when the fox appeared 8 years ago? Who did that Uzumaki have a known romantic interest in? What happened to the ox 8 years ago, it didn't just disappear." The first stated, and left his right-hand thinks on that premise a moment.

"Wait... then he's!?"

"Yes. Their Yondaime's child. It's ironic, he's a carbon copy of the man yet they can't even bring themselves to see it clouded with their own hate. And that is the reason why he's redheaded. In genetics, the traits of the parent with the larger reserves of chakra at the time of conception are typically more dominant in their offspring. Impressive really for him to outpace a pureblood Uzumaki Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi in chakra reserves. But that shows that the boy's pedigree is really something to marvel at."

"I...see. that really is impressive. But what of the girl then?" He asked.

"Let me worry about things concerning the fields of science my friend. Suffice to say, if this all goes well, then both of their Uzumaki traits should come out stronger afterward a step closer to what dear Kimimaru needs."

"Yes Lord Orochimaru. I'll get the staff prepared to start the procedure then."

"Good. See to it. Afterwards, I want you to check up on Kabuto, deliver my thanks and gratitude and deliver my next set of orders." The now named Orochimaru spoke as he handed over a scroll to the man who melded with the shadows and then disappeared. Orochimaru looked back at the unconscious blonde boy and the red-haired girl crawling over to him. "You will prove to be quite the specimen, won't you Naruto-Kun. Kukuku"

[Cell]

Naruto groaned as he felt a hand on his shoulder shaking him. He swatted it away wanting to sleep, but the hand shook him more. Tired, he roused and rolled over, looking up at the blurry features of a mass of red hair over the fair skin. "Huh?" He spoke, not hearing what was said until he could make out what he was seeing and heard.

"You were captured too huh?" The redhead asked and Naruto was confused until he looked around. "You're in a cell, they tossed you in here out cold." She spoke and Naruto could see the girl was a little older than him, striking red hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. She wore simple shirt and pants, kind of like the stuff worn at hospitals.

"Captured? What? No, I was... I was running away from my village. I-I stopped to check my map and then I...I... I don't know. I don't remember anymore from there." He said, holding his head.

"You were probably found by one of the sick fucks and knocked out, seeing as you're here now." The girl spoke, drawing away and bringing her knees up to her chest. "The pasty-skinned fucker will probably be by later to bite you so you can get one of these." She said, showing the back of her neck where a three hooked like mark was. "My advice, when they come, don't fight it. Fighting only makes it worse." She warned.

"w-what? NO! I can't be captured I-"

"You are. Now stop babbling. they're coming." She spoke resigned when suddenly their cell filled with a white smoke. She laid down and took a big breath before closing her eyes. He panicked and started to breathe rapidly as he got up and ran to the door, but he didn't make it three steps before he lost strength and fell face first, out like a light.

[Another room]

Orochimaru watched as the boy and the girl was restrained to tables and hooked up with various tubes and machines, while careful not to damage the seal arrays he placed onto either of the two. As soon as the drug flushed from their system the procedure would start.

"We're ready to begin Lord Orochimaru." Spoke one of his scientists.

"Begin."

The Scientist nodded and turned on the machines initiating the procedure, while another interfaced with a seal-array that connected the two from their tables to an altar. The seal array glowed and then one could clearly see the seal array on either of the two glow blue and spread like water from them, to the table, following the seals along the floor to the altar and up, before mixing at the central seal and spread back to their bodies.

From the tubes flowed blood, which filled a reservoir in the machine connecting them both, and flowed again from the machine to both of them, creating a cycle of blood flow between them. The machine adding a chemical solution to the blood in the reservoir before it flowed back to the test subjects.

A blood and chakra combination based therapy.

"Lord Orochimaru the Enrichment Therapy is proceeding and no noticeable rejections thus far. You were correct about them being compatible." The scientist stated and Orochimaru chuckled.

"Of course. Now to see how far the therapy can go. Tell me how long do you estimate would be good to keep up this therapy? Blood treatment is your area of expertise after all." Orochimaru asked.

"Hooked to the machine with the chemical, No more than an hour. The chemical solution is a buffer for compatibility in the first stage, once the blood s fully cycled, the second stage begins by introducing a second solution that will act as a catalyst between their mixed blood. After a full cycle of it, we introduce the final stage a new treatment using something we've developed that will essentially 'share' their genetic traits with one another and activate recessive traits and enhance them. Of course, all of this will have to be done over several sessions, increasing the doses each session, but better to take it slow so not to waste resources. The Uzumaki are hard to find as is."

"Ye, which is also why we're doing the chakra counterpart to your treatment as well. Their chakra will recognize their blood and be more willing to accept their containers and vice versa with the blood. Not to mention it should enhance the overall process as well. Expanding their chakra reserves and increasing the quality of their chakra." Orochimaru spoke, already seeing the girl tremble. "She will have it harder first, her coils have to adjust to a Jinchuuriki's chakra in both sheer quantity and quality. It'll be easier when she can access the level two state of the curse mark and experience its change in chakra."

"Indeed. Sakon and Ukon results show a change in their physiology after experiencing the level two of the curse mark, so having a Jinchuuriki's chakra in her will have some interesting effects to look forward to when she changes." The scientist stated, looking to see the boy now trembling. "Hmm, the boy is showing signs of the blood and chakra now permeating his system."

"Good. Keep me apprised Doctor. I want them healthy and clean at all times. Like you said they are a precious resource and I'll not have them sullied. If anyone dares touch them, have them executed and displayed. Continue with the sessions you have planned for today...and give him his number."

"Yes Lord Orochimaru." He spoke as the snake-like man left. The doctor turned and smiled at his two subjects. "I really do look forward to your results. depending on your success, you may yet well prove my theories and be used as the basis for future developments." The man said with a sadistic smile.

[Naruto]

He woke up long ago, but he couldn't speak, a gag in his mouth prevented such. his arms bound, he couldn't move. He felt both weak and strong, nauseous and perfectly fine, hazy and clear-headed. He hated this. He wanted to go home...yeah, Konoha was home. But he couldn't, he made his choice now. He looked to his side and saw the girl from before, he still didn't know her name, but she looked at him, bound the same as he was and just shook her head. He understood, don't fight. But he wanted to, by any gods that be, did he want to. But he couldn't move against his binds, couldn't make a sound past his gag. Nothing.

Laying on the table as the adults in white coats walked around the two he breathed and struggled, they just glanced at him before moving on. He could feel his mind fading he tried to resist it, but the darkness was edging at the outside of his eyes, closing in, and then darkness.

...

He kept fading in and out like that for a long time, still fixed to that table. The only time he fully regained his mind was when he was back in the cell with the girl, two trays of food and drinking waiting for them.

"...what do they want from us?" He asked finally when he had his voice back.

"Don't know. They never answer any questions and the pasty-skinned fucker just laughs that weird fucking way and says I'll be useful to him. Before you came I was forced to keep eating, fighting, training, take pills, get shots everything before he bit me and I got this fucking mark. Now, whenever I get mad these marks spread all over my body until he put another mark over it. Then you fucking show up and everything changes."

"So they're just using us?" He asked, crawling over to the second tray of food, starting to eat. He didn't know what else to do and he was hungry.

"Yeah, don't know for what. I feel stronger though. You?" She asked

"I don't know...I was just starting at the academy before I ran."

"Oh for fuck's sakes. No wonder they told me to train you."

"Huh?"

"Someone came to the cell after I woke up, told me to start training you in what I know and whatever scrolls they drop for us. Told me they expect us to both be strong for whatever plans they have for us." She said.

"But...I don't want to be used by them."

"You got some way of escaping I should know about then?" She asked looking at him expectantly.

"...no..."

"Didn't think so. Trust me you want to keep your head down and obey it's easier. If you fight they torture your ass. You wouldn't last long." She stated, scaring the boy a bit. She sighed, looking around their cell. A sink, a toilet, shower head with a drain under it, two mats for sleeping at the far end, breathing holes and damn thing else aside from the door with the tray slot. It wasn't a small cell, clearly, they expected them to train, evident by the various bars and protrusions from the walls for things like pull up exercises and the like, a single light at the top illuminating their cell. "Besides, you're marked now, like me so that must mean they intend to keep you." She said, pointing at his arm.

He looked at the underside of his left arm, an against the slightly tanned skin in black ink, was a number.

S-317300

Looking at the clearly defined number, he was at first confused, but then he started to feel sick. Marked...like he was owned. He trembled looking at it, he didn't want it, what it meant, he wanted to claw at it, but before he could, he heard the girl speak up. "You can't scratch it out. They tattoo it in then use sealing to make sure it stays, even if you scratch or cut it out, it comes back. It's there to stay." She told him and saw his dejected expression. Best he learns it right from the start to save the trouble. Sighing she thought it over and shook her head.

"What's your name?" She asked finally, stretching a bit.

"n-Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." He stated.

"Tayuya." She stated simply and let out a breath. "Well, come on, Let's get started with chakra first." She directed him over to her to get started on the training.

It started like this, where she ran him through the basics she knew, quickly discovering he was shit with Genjutsu whereas she was talented with it. They were fed often, and despite it tasting like crap, they were never hungry. But no one talked to them. The scientists never talked to them when they woke up on the tables again after the room was gassed. They would fade in and out of consciousness during those sessions of being fixed to the tables, then wake up back in the cell feeling stronger.

Their world was only of that cell or begin strapped to those tables, and no idea what was happening outside of either. Scrolls were dropped into the cells, where she would read first and they'd learn together, she taught him to read and write with what they could, using water from the sink like ink on the concrete. They quickly lost any sense of privacy since the cell had no walls for the toilet or the shower. Clothes was never an issue as they usually woke up in new clean scrubs. He stopped being freaked out over it the first few times, he had no control over it anyway. She also told him to 'fucking deal with it' about her using the toilet or shower whenever she needed to, or him. Though she had to explain the greater differences between girls and boys that he didn't know yet, much to his embarrassment and her frustration.

He could only describe their time down there as a senselessness of time, no way of knowing how much had gone by, or what time of the day it was. The only indication any significant amount of time went by was that he was getting taller when he noticed it wasn't as hard to reach for a high par to do pulls ups or that he was filling out his sleeping mat more than before.

The scrolls kept coming over all subjects, even mundane things like math and history, Tayuya cursing up a storm about those things, but Naruto found some solace in those scrolls, they were a nice distraction. The training was good, they were getting stronger, but they couldn't learn anything really strong since they were prisoners obviously. The sessions on those tables kept occurring and he didn't see any indication of it stopping. It was almost a comfortable pace once whatever they did to them on the tables stopped being painful and weird feeling. but then things took a turn when Tayuya wasn't in a cell with him after one session.

[Containment cell]

"It's almost finished Lord Orochimaru." Spoke the doctor who directed the therapy sessions of the Uzumaki subjects.

"Goods. Looks like your modification to the mind awakening pill will prove beneficial to young Tayuya should this work." Spoke Orochimaru.

"It should. Having been undergoing the Therapy for months now has certainly rendered results. Expansion of her chakra coils is more than anticipated, her natural regeneration has heightened, physical limits have been approached and broken several times according to observation of their training sessions shows. Natural talent has come through. Bst of all her Uzumaki traits have strengthened, evident with her darker hair shade and brighter eyes. The standard Uzumaki traits." The doctor spoke.

"Indeed, she has come quite a way. It also helps their food is rich in everything their body needs, also containing a host of supplements and chemicals to stimulate their development and growth, along with treated air and water. Controlling every variable of their environment has proven a great success and Kimmimaru is showing improvement with treatment using chemicals derived from blood collected from them." Orochimaru stated.

"Indeed. The boy shows improvements of his own, but curiously no change to his visible physical traits aside from general growth and strengthening." He remarked curiously.

"He'll likely need a catalyst for any outward physical traits to change as an indication of internal change. We'll introduce such a catalyst through Tayuya and therapy sessions utilizing the curse mark and injections of material from Jugo in later sessions after that. For now, let's focus on Tayuya." Orochimaru spoke, waiting to see the progress of his prized Uzumaki girl.

In the cell past the viewing barrier was a sealed barrel that was leaking black smoke, the chakra from it was foul and tainted but it was powerful and intense as it now began to pour and steam from the barrel like a cooking pot under pressure. Finally, the seams of the barrel opened up as the barrel bulged before exploding outward. There, in simple scrubs was Tayuya, but her skin was dark, six horns from her head making a crown through her hair which had grown long. Muscles brimmed with power. Black finger and toenails like claws, fang-like teeth, red eyes with a black slit in the center against a black backdrop. Her hair flowed around her being, almost like tails.

The two watching took note of her transformation and Orochimaru smiled while the doctor took notes furiously. "My, it's like seeing the Initial state of a Jinchuuiki fused with the second stage of the curse mark. The power is quite nice. Seems the Biju chakra present in her chakra was perfectly transformed with the curse mark."

"Yes. That should make it easier for the boy's body to accept the chakra from Tayuya while the curse mark is engaged since it'll have traces of his own chakra in it and her chakra in his."

"Agreed. Go on and get young Naruto-Kun then. I'll get Tayuya-chan here ready." Orochimaru spoke as he made a hand seal and the girl suddenly passed out, her transformation receding. "What else does the Uzumaki blood have to offer I wonder." He stated aloud as he walked into the containment cell to collect Tayuya.

[Naruto]

He groaned as he woke up, again, after their cell was gassed. Finding himself fixed on the table again. Great, here he was again. But this time something was different he could feel it. Looking around, he saw a pasty-skinned long black haired man standing there with a smile.

"Awake now are you Naruto-Kun? Good, I wouldn't want you to miss the start of this after all." The man stated with a glimmer in his eye that spelled his self-amusement clear to him. "Wondering who I am aren't you?" He asked the gagged boy who nodded. "Well you see, I'm your kind tender Patron. The man responsible for your health, condition, training and education, the one who's made you as strong as you are now. My name Is Orochimaru. You should know me if you've been reading your scrolls like you should have been." He spoke with a smirk as the boy's eyes widened.

Naruto Glanced to the side to see Tayuya' eyes also widen, but her eyes seethed with anger as he struggled against her bonds to lash out at the man futilely. This was different, she hadn't acted like this before. But before he could wonder about it, he saw flame like colored hook marks spread across her body.

"Yes yes good Tayuya, just like that. You may begin doctor." Orochimaru spoke, who nodded and activated both the machine and the seals. Once the blood and chakra mixed and flowed back to the others, Naruto instantly thrashed against his restraints. "An interesting reaction," Orochimaru spoke as he walked over to the boy to look him over. Tayuya watched on, now horrified seeing what was happening.

"You two may have realized this already, but for some time now we've been mixing your blood and chakra with various treatments and chemicals to enrich and enhance both of you. As it stands you may as well be siblings, which is good, it means you're compatible with this procedure. You see, Naruto-Kun here is a Jinchuuriki and an Uzumaki. The Uzumaki people are a very powerful people, a people you descend from dear Tayuya-Chan. But Naruto-Kun here is unique in that he has the Kyuubi no Kitsune sealed within his body, like a prison, and that's changed his body, and thanks to these sessions you've benefitted from having his blood and chakra flowing through you. And now he'll benefit from you with your curse mark active during these sessions."

Tayuya looked on alarmed at the man before looking down at Naruto who was thrashing on his table, his restraints had been reinforced in preparation for just this occurrence. The deep purple chakra from her body was mixing in the seals, transforming his chakra to be like it and being absorbed into his body. SHe could see his chakra network like veins as the purple chakra illuminated them, but a red chakra was forming and meeting it. That same red chakra changed him, his nails became claws, teeth became fanged, formerly blue eyes were red and pupils were black slits, his hair was wild and his whiskers were sharp and thick.

"They Kyuubi is perceiving the curse mark chakra as a foreign entity and fighting it. Hmm, I suppose we'll have to accelerate this slight. Tayuya-Chan, I need you to step it up." He ordered but frowned when he saw her shake her head. "Well while I can see you don't want him to hurt, he is your brother and all now," she shivered seeing that demented smile. "This will happen regardless, so advance the curse mark, or I'll force it." He ordered and she met his eyes... "Fine then. Have it your way." He spoke, forming a hand seal and forcing the girl to advance to stage two of the seal.

Tayuya herself now thrashed in pain as her seal was forced, her body transforming into the state it was in not long ago. Some of her features mimicking those now seen in Naruto while under the Kyuubi's influence. The chakra emitted from her turned a Darker purple, while the chakra from Naruto now bled red, flowing into the seal. The central seal array managed to mix both chakras together, where the combined result flowed back to both parties. The new dark chakra from the sealed mixture flow into Naruto, where the red Biju chakra broke away its resistance, and now flowed throughout his body, the same happening to Tayuya.

Watching as the advanced state of chakra from both mixed and flowed between them, it was amazing to see really. Tayuya already experienced her changes, but now they were reinforced and made prominent, her horns grew longer, nails sharper, fangs keener, and more. But like he discussed with the doctor, this proved to be the trigger for outward physical change in Naruto as his hair bled red as dark as any Uzumaki pureblood. Orochimaru smiled seeing this only this but like Tayuya his current state of being was undergoing its own changes. Muscle mass was growing, the ears were ever so slightly shifted back with a slight point, not so much to be unnatural, fangs sharper, claw-like nails coloring black, hair growing a bit longer, and a distinctive shadow starting to just develop around the eyes to making those red fox eyes stand out even more.

Overall he was pleased with the results.

Not only had the therapy sessions worked, they exceeded expectations with the changes occurred. Now both had traits of strong Uzumaki genes reinforced by Biju chakra and curse seal chakra. A few sessions like these and then sessions of one in their base state and vice versa and the changes desired should be complete before moving on to more direct treatments for Kimimaru.

Naruto was the stronger Uzumaki of the two, so Tayuya would be first using their curse seal chakra as a compatibility catalyst between them before moving on to Naruto.

Orochimaru stuck around to see the session's end, watching as both transformations released. Naruto was left with his red hair, it's length and muscular growth, while Tayuya had her own growth, hair and eye changes left behind as well. He could practically feel the chakra between them wanting to release outward. "Take them back to their cell to recuperate, no more sessions until their bodies have completely settled and adjusted. I imagine they have a great deal to talk about. Kukuku" The man chuckled as he left.

[Cell]

Naruto awoke to an odd sensation he never felt before. His head was lying on something soft and warm, while his hair was being stroked. Blinking away the crust from his eyes and rousing despite the soreness in his body, he looked up to find Tayya with her recently changed brighter eyes staring down at him, looking on sadly. "Tayuya?" He asked her, concerned. She's never acted like this before.

"You're okay, so am I. at least, I think we are." She spoke softly, not sure how to breach this subject. "What do you remember?"

"Um...well I woke up n the cell alone, that kind of scared me... ok it really scared me." He admitted when he saw her look at him weird like. "But I wasn't alone for long, the room was Gassed again before I woke up back in that room." He continued on. "That guy you talked about...Orochimaru was his name, yeah. I remember him. He was the one responsible for all of this, what's happening to us."

"That's right. But what do you remember after that?"

"After that? after that... I... I don't know. I remember them starting up the machine and the seals, but after that, I just felt so much pain and rage, I couldn't focus on anything else. It was like my whole body was on fire and I was mad that it was. Then the pain went away and it was only anger after that." he spoke, trying his best to remember more.

Tayuya bit her lip and decided to get it over with, subtlety aside from Genjutsu just wasn't in her. "Naruto, can you go over to the mirror above the sink and tell me what you see?" She asked and Naruto nodded without a word as he got up and went over. what he saw shocked him, his hair now came down to his shoulder and was as blood red as Tayuya's nows, his blue eyes now had a slight shadow around the eye sockets in the skin that made them seem like they were piercing his soul. His whisker marks were thicker and more defined than before, while his incisor teeth were more pronounced, overall giving him a more feral look.

"This session was a hard one, and it changed you like it changed me... They made me advance my curse seal to the next stage. But the bastard made me use it during the session to make it harder for you." She spoke softly. Naruto turned to her, moving over to her, before pulling her into a hug, holding her.

"It's not your fault. If anything I'm kinda happy. I got red hair like you do now." He said with a smile that made her smile a bit before she remembered what the snake bastard said.

"Naruto, there's something else the pasty-skinned bastard told me. These sessions where our chakra and blood has been mixing, it's changed us, enriched and enhanced us to make us stronger. But the bastard told me it could only work if we were alike...turns out I'm an Uzumaki...and the sessions have basically made us siblings." She said, watching as the boy looked at her with wide eyes now. "Naruto?" she asked worriedly.

"So that means you're an a...a sister, to me?" he asked, hope he didn't dare to have in his voice.

"Yeah...I kinda am I guess. not just cause of how we are, but in blood now if what he said is right- oomph!" She was cut off as Naruto pulled her back into another hug, his shoulders trembled as he buried his face into her shoulder. She looked down at the boy curiously but smiled to herself. She supposed she could live with having a little brother. However, there was something else she needed to tell him now. "Naruto, there's one more thing."

"You remember when you told me of how things were like for you back in Konoha?" She asked and Naruto nodded. "I think I know why now. The bastard told me about you, something I guess was kept secret, but it makes sense with everything I know about you... What do you know about the Kyuubi?" She asked, receiving the same answer any Konoha academy student know. "That story's wrong Naruto. I can't say this gently, so I'm just going to tell you. Orochimaru said you were used as a prison, the Kyuubi was sealed into your body to act as it's prison to stop it." She spoke, and suddenly she could see recognition and depression settling in his eyes.

I wasn't hard to see him thinking things through, remembering everything little thing and piecing it together with the new knowledge like she had done while awake in the room and their cell while he was out. She could see his mind click and his mood which was previously happy nose-dive into depression, no doubt going to the worst places it could.

"No! stop that."

"Stop what?" he asked, his voice sullen.

"Letting your thoughts take you to those depressing fucking places it likes to go. You're, not a damn demon like what those villagers said. You only contain one, that I'm sure. So don't you fucking dare think you're some kind of demon. Alright?" She spoke and he nodded, not really able to form words at the moment. She sighed as she held the boy, her now little brother to her. Never once did she imagine she'd go soft like this.

But for Naruto, she supposed she could. She leaned back on their mats as Naruto laid there with her, before finally passing out together.

The next few days no one bothered them and the two took the time to see how much they had changed. Training was hard, but it showed their improvement of their overall level of skill and ability. Tayuya could more easily access her curse mark forms, while Tayuya tried to help him learn how to bring about that transformation he did on the table, starting to embrace that he contained a demon, then why not use it's power if he could access it. It seemed logical to Tayuya and she convinced him as much of it. For now, it was a tool that was too valuable not to use, but it was beyond their ability to work with at the moment.

New scrolls were dropped into their cell with their meals, these scrolls were different than the ones from before which dealt with Taijutsu, chakra control exercises, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu based theory, essentially anything and everything they could learn without giving them a means to escape in the form of strong Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. These dealt with harnessing things like their senses, self-enhancement through chakra, manipulating sound waves and the science behind it, and body modification.

That last one was weird to Naruto, but Tayuya seemed to realize something and told him to learn it. What use would he have for making his tongue longer or changing parts of his body like that? Regardless she said learn it so he did, saying he'd be grateful for it down the road when they got out of there.

It was only just when they got rid of their funk the sessions always left them in, the weird feeling of their skin not being their own thanks to sharing each other's chakra and blood which they had grown used to, that their cell was gassed again.

This time though, when he woke up, he was nowhere he recognized. "What? Where am I?" He asked out loud, looking around as he did.

"Ah, your awake Naruto-Kun, that's good, seems the dosage of the gas needs to be backed off a bit in the future, you were out for quite a while." Spoke the slimy serpent voice he now knew to associate with Orochimaru. Groaning he got to his feet, slowly, the newly made red-head looked around to find a high wall viewing area, the eds of it lined with some kind of weird writing he couldn't decipher, it wasn't anything like what Tayuya had shown him how to read before.

"You must be wondering where you are no doubt. Allow me to explain. Thus far you've been serving a valuable purpose and will continue to d so. But afterward, when that purpose is served, where will that leave you? I intend to make sustain your value to me by making you more useful than just a donor. You'll be serving me one day, so must know how to actually fight." The voice stated and Naruto sneered a bit.

"What makes you think I'll actually work for you willingly huh?" He asked the time with Tayuya and recent changes showing through already.

"Why Naruto-Kun, what makes you think you have a choice?" He stated, and suddenly grating metal on metal could be heard. Naruto turned to see a cage door slid open and he tensed. From the door walked out a man in simple grey scrubs similar to what Naruto wore. He was a tall, muscular man, obviously someone who worked for a living. However his face shown sunken cheeks and eyes, his skin was very pale and his movements languid. He stared at Naruto for a moment before the snake spoke again.

"A fight. Kill your opponent and you get to eat." He said simply as a kunai was tossed at their feet. Naruto had no warning as the man picked up his kunai immediately and rushed naruto. Naruto froze as he saw the man rush him, his face a portrait of fury and desperation as Naruto realized something. This man was going to kill him...for food. Eyes widening at the realization, he grabbed his kunai and rolled to the side to avoid a swipe from the blade.

Huffing, he tried to reason this out, find some way to calm the man down. But a look into his eyes said that wasn't possible. This man was desperate, eyes he knew well since they had been his own on the streets. Starved, he'd go the distance to get fed. The man rushed him again, his breathing labored from lack of energy. Naruto rolled out of the way again, but the man anticipated him this time as he stepped over to where he would come out of his roll, and brought his kunai down on him, using his size and weight to trap Naruto and bring force.

Naruto was pushed down and trapped, he twisted right and left to avoid being stabbed as the kunai came down viciously, again and again, just barely missing him as it hit the stone floor. Panic had already set in and in his panic, he went to push the man off of him, forgetting he had a kunai in his own hands. The man froze as a sickening squelch sound came from the action, and Naruto felt warmth wash over his hands. He looked down to see red staining his skin and clothes, as the man's face seem to pale even more as he suddenly went limp.

What caught the boy though was his face, his eyes. He was at first haunted expression but then smiled slightly before falling limp on him. Naruto was very still before he pushed the man off of him, seeing the kunai lodged into his chest and stained with blood, blood that had flowed like an open faucet onto Naruto as his abdomen, hands, and arms were soaked in blood. He quivered as he looked at his hands, the red-head horrified as he realized what he did.

"That will do Naruto-Kun." Was all he heard until his vision went black again.

[Cell]

Naruto awoke in the cell again, but this time he saw he was the first to wake. Tayuya was resting to the side where she had been no doubt dropped or thrown in like they usually were by their handlers. He was about to get up until he saw his arms and hands, Stained red, still wet mostly, some of it was dry, flaky...sticky, darker than when it had been fresh. Naruto felt his stomach lurch before its contents were spewed to the concrete floor.

The young boy struggled for air once his stomach finished its rejection. He huffed as he laid there looking at the blood before he managed to get to his knees and arms, and crawled over to the shower spigot. Once there he used the wall to help him stan and turn the water on. He rubbed his hands together then over his arms, The water turned red as it went down the drain, while the sticky blood he had to scrub hard to be rid of. However, even when the blood washed away he still kept scrubbing as the man's face kept coming to his mind.

The noise must have been loud as Tayuya woke up.

"The fuck?" She called out groggily as she sat up, her face twisting up as she smelled the fresh vomit. But she heard the shower going and looked off to see Naruto under it, still fully dressed, he was scrubbing his hands, but what for? "Naruto?" She called out, but the boy didn't hear.

It was then she noticed that the former blonde's shirt was stained red, and the shower water was red. Her blood ran cold as she pieced it together and realized what had happened. She got up and went over to the boy to see him scrubbing away at his hands and arm, but the blood he was washing away from the man wasn't there anymore. It was his own now as he was hurting himself in his scrubbing.

She grabbed his arms and pulled them apart. "Naruto! Stop!" She called but the boy struggled, he didn't speak words but his voice and cries were enough. "Naruto! Listen to me it's not your fault! Those sick bastards made you do it! It's not your fault!" She called out to the boy who's struggling started to cease. Tayuya adjusted her grip of his hands to a hug around his head shoulders to her chest and she sat down under the shower water.

The boy trembled into her arms, pulled down with her to sit under the shower water, before he sniffled and then cried, holding onto her for dear life. She didn't reject him she kept holding him close, letting him cry into her chest as she rocked back and forth slightly, running a hand through his now red hair, cooing at the boy that he was okay, it wasn't his fault. All the little comforts and truths she knew to help him. Her ears hurt from his wails, but she didn't move to stop them. It took some time, but under the water he finally calmed and then went limp as sleep took him, exhausted from the fight and his emotional break over what happened.

"Damn them. Damn them all to hell." She muttered out as she stroked her hand through his brilliant red hair. Looking at the boy she held now. She couldn't deny that he was as close to her as any family she might have ever had. A little brother not just in blood anymore as Orochimaru had said f their experiments, but also in name. She accepted him as her little brother now, and she felt his pain as her own as he cried while he held her. "I will make them pay. I will break them." She vowed.

Tayuya rose up and carried the boy away from under the shower spigot they shared. Taking him over by the sleeping mats he changed him out of his wet bloodied scrubs and into a fresh new pair, changing herself before tossing the old pair into a receptacle by the door for their scrubs. She came back to Naruto and laid him down, careful not to disturb him. But before she left him she thought better of it and laid down with it. If it was anything like her first time the nightmares would be horrendous. So she laid there with him, her arms around him as she held him close. She was proven right as the nightmares came, but she stroked his hair and cooed into his ear every time he awoke from one, sending him back to sleep.

The days following were hard for the boy as to be expected but Tayuya helped him to reason out and come to terms with his first kill. She didn't want to think of how it'd turn out if she weren't there. It helped to distract him from remembering what happened, though the only thing they could do was train and talk, so they did both. She realized he'd be made to fight more from there on, and thus that meant killing too. So she was preparing him as best she could for that. Sparring, knife drills with a knife hand posture, taijutsu, everything they had they trained in and reviewed. Even going so far as to turn out the light of their cell and use the darkness to train his spatial awareness and other senses aside from sight, especially hearing.

Proven right again, Naruto was put into another fight and had to kill again. This time he was better prepared and Like Tayuya taught him. don't think about it, just get it done then afterward reason it out why it happened and assure yourself it had to be done. More fights would follow, more death. The surplus of training with Tayuya helped him immensely as he got better at applying what he had learned. If only to make t quicker. But not before long he started fighting smaller people, who were stronger and faster, who used jutsu or their own and forced Naruto to step up.

That's not to say that Naruto didn't try to escape. But that glass window the wall walked up to he could hurt with his kunai nor could he find any other exit. With those attempts, Naruto and Tayuya weren't fed while he was tortured personally. After every fight and kill, it was a process to calm him down, but he eventually got better at handling the stress and turmoil. Tayuya worried for him, he knew that, but he worried just as much for her, guessing she was having to do the same thing he was.

Sessions continued, mixing and exchanging blood and chakra between each other, no doubt trying to enhance them further. They could both see that more chemicals were being added to the machine where their blood was gathered in at. Each new chemical affected them differently, but after a few hours, they seemed to get over it.

It was after a while where things changed yet again. They awoke to the tables, but this time they weren't hooked up to any machines. Orochimaru was in the room with them and the other doctors. "You're awake, good. Then we can start the procedure." Orochimaru spoke with that slithery voice that sent chills up his spine. He yelped a moment when he felt a harp jab in his arm and saw a doctor drawing out a large amount of blood from him, before taking it away.

"The hell are you doing this time!?" Tayuya called out and the pasty skinned man smirked at them.

"What I originally did all this for. To find a cure." He stated as he walked over to Naruto first. "A little lesson. You two are uzumaki, and for the past months, we've been awakening, enhancing, enriching, and refining the Uzumaki traits in you both. Now you are at a stage where those traits can be put to use. Such as..." He stated, jabbing naruto with the syringe and injecting him with the clear liquid. "Infecting you with sicknesses, virus, and diseases to fight them off and build up anti-bodies, which we can then use to synthesize cures." He stated with a smile, though left out the who or the what.

"You Bastard!" Tayuya shouted, looking over to Naruto who was starting to thrash as his skin seemed to itch all over and burn, his body trying to furiously fight off the invasion of the disease injected into him.

"Oh Don't worry, you'll be joining him. Now settle down or I'll give him a double dose." He stated and once the girl calmed, he injected her, who soon started to undergo the same process. Satisfied he left the two to their misery to allow their bodies to run the course of combating the disease. The two thrashed for hours s their own bodies was putting them through pain to fight off the disease which was virulent, to say the least.

Eventually, they both settled and their bodies processed through the disease, killing it off and producing the antibodies they wanted. They weren't aware of when they came in and collected blood from them, but they took a lot, adding to their weakness of fighting off the ailment and then losing so much blood. Their last vision was of the snake bastard examining a syringe of their blood as he left before darkness.

[Treatment Room]

"Any improvement?" Orochimaru spoke, looking at his charts.

"Preliminary tests show marked improvement of his condition to prior Lord Orochimaru. It's amazing, to say the least. His disease should have been terminal, but now it's treatable." One of the doctors spoke.

"Treatable?" Orochimaru asked, not like that statement.

"Well My lord, the disease is strong and resistant to most drugs and other forms of treatment. Utilizing the antibodies from the Uzumaki paired with the drugs has allowed his condition to improve and with further treatments, he'll be able to return to service. But the disease is rooted in deep to his body. A full cure may be impossible for him."

"I see...then we will have to take more drastic measures," Orochimaru spoke.

"My lord?" He stated.

"Prep Tayuya for a transfusion with Kimmimaru. Their curse marks should allow them compatibility for the transfusion to work. She already has antibodies so she'll be able to fight off the disease. It'll be similar to running tainted blood through a healthy liver back into the body."

"Yes Lord Orochimaru." The Doctor spoke as he left. Orochimaru stared down at the bed Orochimaru was on, equipment around his body showing his state of health.

"Soon Kimmimaru, you'll be healthy again and a fitting vessel once more. Kukuku." He didn't have to wait long as Tayuya was wheeled in on her table and the equipment set up. He watched as the procedure was started before the girl could even wake, but she noticed and woke up once the mixed blood and chakra hit her system. Her screams of pain and anger were quite something, melodic even. He recalled an old wives tale that if you worst sound could be seen as melodic such as screams and such, it was indicative of being good with music. Perhaps there was a thought there to explore, he did recall her playing the flute on the streets when they found her.

Regardless the procedure was kept going for a long time until her screams went quiet. Though initially stressful, checking updated charts of his vitals showed another increased improvement. His smile spread across his ears.

"Doctor, proceed with the sessions as often as you think they can handle without permanent damage. Schedule the boy for more fights with the stronger prisoners, he needs to be made stronger. In time we'll be using the boy instead of Tayuya if Kimmimaru still requires the direct transfusions." He stated as he left. The doctor bowed and wrote down the orders to be given to one of the handlers.

[Two months Later]

Naruto pulled the weakened Tayuya onto his chest as she whimpered. Her body was in pain. He ran a hand through her hair to help her like she had done for him. The first time he woke up without Tayuya he panicked but managed to calm down. Though when Tayuya was thrown in, he found her weak, and for the three days after that, he had to feed her and help her around the cell to the bathroom and shower, he was glad they didn't care about that stuff anymore otherwise it would have been a lot harder to help her. He learned from her they made her do the session with some sick white-haired boy with weird dots on his head. But when the blood and chakra hit her body it was the worst feeling and pain she could imagine.

The process left her weak and utterly unable to do anything for a time. Sure her body recovered and grew stronger each time, but the pain was immense if her estimation was right. Then there were his fights. The people kept getting harder to fight, and more often than not he won by some desperate tactic or maneuver he had to think of on the fly. He was getting stronger from the constant fights, but he was also getting hurt, sometimes his injuries brought him to his knees and only just barely did he have enough at the last moment to pull through.

He healed for sure, damn did he ever heal, he watched large and deep cuts knit back together and close like they were never there, to begin with. But that didn't mean they don't hurt. But every fight was harder to fight, yet every fight was a little easier to handle, as were every kill.

So that's how it went for Two months, now Tayuya only suffered the weakness for half a day before she was back on her feet, and his nightmares were manageable at least. He sighed as he ran a hand through her hair still, looking down to his older sister. "How are we going to survive this?" He asked her even though she was asleep. He didn't have long to contemplate as the gas filled the cell again and he sighed. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed and waited for darkness.

[Treatment Room]

Naruto awoke on a table, a weird table, but the room was different this time. Looking around he saw familiar machines and alter meant for the session, but his eyes found instead of Tayuya, a boy older than him with long white hair, two red dots on his forehead and hooked up to various medical equipment like he saw at the hospital in Konoha. A sinking feeling hit his stomach as he looked around and saw Orochimaru again and he growled. The boy struggled against his restraints at the man.

"Spirited, good you may need to use that here soon. It's good to see you Naruto-Kun, you've proven to be quite a catch I must say. You'll make a valuable enforcer one day. For now, you have a job to do. I'm sure you can guess what, so we'll just begin. Start with the bone marrow." He stated.

Two doctors walked up to the boy and Naruto both with large syringes, Naruto tried to struggled, but the restrained him tight and managed to stab the large needle down through his skin and he buckled as he felt it hit the bone and pierce through. He yelped in pain before he felt a painful sensation he couldn't quite describe, but saw the same happening to the other boy. Then the regular session started with the draining of blood and chakra. But before it went back, they injected the stuff in the syringes into the main blood mixture in the machine's reservoir with a few chemicals, before they started.

Once the mixtures hit though, his senses filled with pain as he buckled and thrashed against his restraints, he wanted to get out and free. He struggled hard, muscles tightening to give more strength as he resisted with all his might. He could feel it in his veins as it coursed through him. His body itched and burned like before when they injected them before, but much worse and more pain. However, that pain gave way to anger, and soon he directed that anger onto one focus as he looked over to Orochimaru.

He felt a surge of power, an enhancing of his senses and clarity of anger right on the one responsible.

Orochimaru was fascinated by what he was seeing. Was the boy accessing the fox's chakra on his own? Marvelous. But he knew this could be bad...or good. Deciding to take a chance, he made a few hand seals and forced Kimmimaru's curse seal to activate and progress to the stage two addition of Kimmimaru's cursed chakra and blood in this state to the Kyuubi Uzumaki chakra and blood mixing should have a unique effect. So he kept watching and his lark was well paid for.

He watched as Kimmimaru seemed to breath deeper, his body undergoing a slight change not unlike Tayuya's during the same process, though to what extent he can't be sure, however, his hair stated the same, it seemed his muscle mass became more defined, his bones that were exposed in the form receded into his body, while the tail developed flexible bone plates that could be used as armor for the tail, those bone plates travelling up the back like armor. Similar bone plates forming on the hands and feet up to the knees and elbows. Very interesting.

But the Uzumaki boy experienced his own change. He could literally see the bones under his skin becoming more pronounced, and if he wasn't imagining it, larger even. He smiled as he saw muscle mass swell slightly, and his feral features became even more pronounced than before. But what really caught his surprise was the sudden appearance of three spikes thrusting from between his knuckles out, slicing open the flesh. His grin widened as he saw those bone spikes cut through his restraints and suddenly he was free. Of the doctors in the room, Naruto slaughtered them in his rage.

But before He could turn on the drug-induced coma state of Kimmimaru, he moved into the room and applied the Gogyo Fuin to the boy's seal, cutting off the Biju's chakra and knocking him out. He watched as his state changed back to normal, the prior features he had a bit stronger, but still there, what amazed him though was his body stayed the same. The larger pronounced bone structure increased muscle mass and the claws, which had yet to recede. Kneeling down he worked the hand muscles a bit and the claws retracted before the skin healed over instantly. Eyes widening, he grinned from ear to ear. This just got even better.

Picking the boy up, he took him to another lab where he proceeded with taking as many 'donations' from the boy's body as possible and with no shortage of glee watched as the taken donations were healed back to normal as if never taken. He created a veritable supply of 'donations' from Naruto that would be put with his blood samples they'd been taking and collecting since day one for research and control markers.

"You really are full of surprises dear Naruto-Kun. I will make you my strongest enforcer. WHo knows, if we can take care of that damn Biju, you'd make a perfect vessel of your own." He whispered to the boy, running a hand through his hair as he looked down at the boy and chuckled to himself under his breath, proceeding with the rest of his 'donations' from the boy.

[Cell]

Tayuya was pacing the cell worried as all hell now. This wasn't right. Naruto was usually here and awake before she was nowadays and it was supposed to be her time for the next session. She just had to stay calm, he was probably in a really tough fight, r recovering after his fight, they did that in really bad injuries- Was he so injured that he actually needed to be treated? Her worry just increased as she started to bite her nail. Her worries eased when the door to their cell was opened and she saw the boy tossed in.

Eyes widening she ran to him to check him but gasped when she saw him. He has changed again. His face looked more pronounced, but his body was what was truly different. His bones, she could see them almost as clearly as she could the first day she saw him, but it was different, not as if he hasn't eaten, but like his bones were almost bigger than what his body could hold. And as if to compensate his muscles were bigger to hold it all, hell he was even a little taller.

The changes weren't that big of a deal, it's what caused the changed. Gritting her teeth, she pulled the boy who was heavy now, into a hug as she leaned against the wall. "They were supposed to be using me still." She muttered as she held the sleeping Naruto. However, she noticed something and looked down. She had seen his seal before during training, but now it looked different, It looked like there were five outer marks around it. That bastard messed with his seal!? The hell are they trying to do!

"I'm sorry Naru... I'm so sorry." She muttered as she rocked back and forth with the boy.

[Treatment Room]

The mess had been cleaned up and now they had just taken Kimmimaru off the drugs that were keeping him in a coma. When Orochimaru had backed off of the curse transformation, they were astounded to see the immediate improvement of his condition just with their eyes. His body returned to normal, he had more color, breathing was good. The instruments showed drastic improvement and as far as they could tell, the disease was no more.

Pulling the last of the tubes and sensors off his body, they gave him an injection to neutralize the other drugs in his system and waited. Soon enough the boy opened his eyes and slowly sat up, flexing his hand and stretching a moment.

"How do you feel?" His lord asked and KImmimaru looked up at him.

"Ready for orders Lord Orochimaru." The boy stated as he stood and bowed. Orochimaru smirked and nodded.

"Your quarters are still open. Return to them, rest in your own bed and wait for further instructions." He stated, the boy nodded and left.

"Remarkable." Spoke the voice of Orochimaru's right-hand man.

"yes, an unbeatable disease defeated by two Uzumaki," Orochimaru spoke.

"My lord, what about the two Uzumaki? The girl ha the curse mark, and will be up for your Sound Squad, but what of the boy. He is Jinchuuriki and the Biju would interfere with the Cursed seal no doubt." The man stated.

"Indeed, we'll have to find another use for him. His regenerative capabilities are just too great not to use. I had thought to make him one highest enforcer, but what are your thoughts?" He asked his right-hand.

"The boy will be hard to control, as will the girl. No doubt they'll try to escape the stronger they get. The girl's fate is determined but the boy... I wonder, what else could be done to him to make him even more useful?" He asked his master.

"You think we should try to change and add more to his body?" He inquired.

"Why not? His healing factor will let him survive any procedure I'd bet. I'd say you could probably even coat his bones in molten metal and he'd survive. Make his entire body a weapon. try to see if he can adapt other Kekkai Genkai or any other number of things you can think of... My Lord?" He asked, seeing the thinking posture he was making.

"Another reason I keep you around, you give me such wonderful ideas, your out of the box thinking serves you well as it does me."

"I aim to please My Lord. But if I may, what idea struck you?"

"Remember the experiments of some time back with various metal alloys and trying to introduce them and the dead bone pulse when Kimmimaru looked to no longer be viable anymore?" He asked his subordinate.

"Why yes. But those turned out to be failures due to the disease, incompatibility, and rejection of the alloy bonding to the iron in the blood of the subjects to graft with the Kekkai Genkai. But what is this... You attend to do the same to the Uzumaki boy." He caught on and his lord nodded. "But won't it be a problem trying to introduce an alloy when the Kekkai Genkai has already been assimilated?" He asked.

"Partly. That's why we'll introduce a second Kekkai Genkai that can modulate the alloy and use the fox in him to facilitate assimilation like it seems to have done before. For now make sure the boy is scheduled for more fights, test his limits and push them. But make sure the second seal stays in place. I don't want the fox interfering with his fights."

"As you will My Lord." He stated and walked away.

[Fighting Pit]

Naruto groaned as he woke up, looking around, he was back in the fighting pits. He grumbled, last he remembered he was jabbed in the stomach by the pasty skinned asshole and knocked out. Sighing he gt up and stretched, but then noticed immediately he was unsteady. Looking down he could see he was bigger, but his body was sore and he wanted to groan. But this wasn't the time or place.

"Fight to death like usual. However, today is different, boy." Great, this guy, he was no better than the snake bastard. "Today you'll have three opponents and no weapons for you. You got them claws now, use them." He said, cutting off the intercom before the gates started to rise. Claws?

A rush of memories, he remembered now bones shooting out of his hand's and he used them to...kill the doctors. His eyes went wide, but he didn't have time to ponder as two of the three men rushed him. They had weapons, one had an ax, another a set of large knives and the third guy seemed to have a sword. He didn't have much time to think about it as they rushed him and he dodged to the side.

However, the knife guy got a cut in on his side and he grunted. He went to hold it, but when he did he found no wound there. "What the?" He looked down to his side and only a little blood. Again though they came and rushed him. He was at a disadvantage here, numbers, speed all that, and he had no weapons... Looking to his hands, he gritted his teeth and thought of them, wanted them, trying to flex his muscles in the arm, and with some effort, he felt a slicing pain before puncture and then bone spikes sliced out from between his knuckles. He roared in pain as blood leaked from the ends of the bones.

The men were a bit put off by that, but they had their orders so rushed him again. This time though Naruto went on the offensive to use the bone claws to cut and stab at his opponents, hollering at them as he did, he felt like he was on fire, thinking of everything they could do to hurt him and how he could avoid or counter them. His muscles constantly twitching with intent to react at a moments notice as the world seemed to slow down almost. Handling the two was easier when he fought back, but now the swordsman stepped forward.

Naruto tore off his shirt, ripped, cut and bloody, but no wounds on him anymore to indicate as such. Bringing his new claws up to bear as weapons, clumsy as he was, he faced off with the swordsman.

The two circled each other and, but as the man adjusted his stance Naruto saw an opening and took it. However, the stance was a rouse as he was run through the middle when he got in close with his claws, the man just smiled at him. But Naruto not to be killed like this, shoved his claws into the man's chest, roaring at him as he did until the man fell back dead.

Falling to his knees, he huffed and looked down to the sword in his gut. grabbing the sword, he felt pain but didn't want it in him. So he painfully and quickly pulled the sword out of his body and coughed up blood once it was out. Dropping the sword, he went to feel the stab wound but was shocked to feel the wound closing around his finger until he pulled it out and felt it again to feel it was gone.

"What did they do to me?" He asked out loud but didn't have much time to sit on it as he heard more gates opening. Getting up, claws at the ready, he took a breath and raised his new weapons ready to fight again.

Thus this became the new routine, no more sessions as they felt they already had what they needed, now Naruto was the main focus. Constant fighting, some days he can't remember how long he'd spent fighting, or how many wounds he got. He quickly learned what not to do and where he could allow. But Tayuya bashed him over the head if he ever got lazy. She had him working out more in their training, using her body as extra weight like push-ups and all that, while she did the same with him. Training continued as normal, but both were fighting constantly.

Scrolls were dropped into the cell again, apparently tips on taijutsu and even a flute for Tayuya who became ecstatic over having one again. He loved hearing her play it, sometimes using it to lull him to sleep on some of his harder nights trying to sleep. Tayuya helped him with his Taijutsu, controlling his body and trying to adjust t the recent wasn't that much bigger than before, just noticeable. Training was harder thanks to the damn seal, he had to rework all of his chakra control, again!

This routine though would change when he was put into the fighting pit but no opponent came out yet.

"Oi oi, what's taking so long up there?" He asked aloud.

"Patience Naruto-Kun. We had to prepare your opponent. She was most resistant to wanting to fight, especially you. So we had to utilize a few seals and jutsu to make her agreeable. She should be coming down now."

"Ya really are a right bastard for forcing people to fight ya know that?" He spoke and Orochimaru laughs, that annoying damn laugh.

"Perhaps, but it gets results. You yourself are proof. Ah, here she is." He stated and he turned as the gate opened, only for his eyes to widen in horror and pain as he saw the girl he was talking about.

"Not her...not here. YOU BASTARD! What the hell have you done!?" He roared up at the viewing glass which was covered by seals to keep it safe from damage. He turned back to see the girl in question, with fair skin, long red hair, clean white scrubs, holding a flute, but her eyes are what caught him. Bright grey eyes almost like steel, different from the former brown she used to have. "Not Tayuya. Anyone but Tayuya." He whimpered.

"This is going to Happen Naruto-Kun. I can't have subordinates with prior attachments who can be manipulated by the enemy. Emotions and connections such as your two's is a weakness I won't tolerate in a subordinate. So either one of you kills the other, or I'll kill her for you in a way I choose. And I do expect you to put forth your best effort, otherwise, I'll follow through on that promise." He told the boy with a mocking laugh.

Naruto felt tears run down his eyes as he looked at Tayuya. He heard the bastard loud and clear, but that didn't make this any easier. This was his sister. Just why? He felt again his fury directing toward Orochimaru.

"Start."

And Tayuya launched at him like a bat out of hell. She was so fast! He barely got his guard up in enough time to block her hell drop meant for his head. He pushed her leg off ad back up. "I won't fight her!" He shouted.

"Then I guess I'll just have to kill her then," Orochimaru stated, Making a hand seal and she instantly went to the ground, crying out in pain as her hands latched onto her neck where the curse seal was.

"Stop Stop! I'll fight." He said and the man released the hold, and she stood again, impassive once more. He gritted his teeth, before producing his claws. He just had to make it look good and then let her kill him. She'll be fine then. The plan made, he assumed a stance and this time when she rushed him. he met her attacks with his own. Making a few glancing cuts here and there. He was controlling the pace of the fight. He could do this.

That is until when he went to make a restrained double claw thrust with both hands for the abdomen, a move she'd dodged before in their training, she seemed to smile at him a moment before halting her own movement. The sickening squelch all over again like his first kill as his claws pierced through her abdominals into vital organs. Horror struck his face as he watched her, her smile at him as the light left her eyes.

"No No No NO NO NO! Tayuya, come on sis. You can't leave me like this come on!" He spoke panic heavy as he pulled back his claws and tried to cover her wounds with his hands and her shirt, trying to stem the bleeding. He wasn't aware of the footsteps coming up from behind him as he worked furiously to help her.

"That's life Naruto-Kun. But now you are ready for what I have planned." He stated, applying a small temporary seal to the back of his neck. He watched the boy fall out cold and he nodded. "Prepare him for the procedure. Collect more samples beforehand as a control for after procedure examination. Right now his mind is destabilized just right for molding, a little more trauma from the procedure will tip it enough to make the job easier." He stated and watched as the boy was lifted and taken away. Looking the girl he smirked. "And someone please discard the trash." He stated, leaving the area.

[Lab]

The boy was fixed to a table, his body lined with various complicated Seal Arrays and complicated formula's in long lines of script, flowing all over his body and onto the table he was on. Hooked up to various machines, tubes with waiting reservoirs of chemicals and other material no doubt.

"Everything is Ready Lord Orochimaru, we can proceed any moment... My Lord, are we sure about this?" He asked, looking at the boy. "We'll be expending a lot of our rarer resources just on this one procedure and it's not guaranteed t exceed either." The right-hand spoke.

"Of course we are. Every test we can run has shown reasonable levels of success, just on his biology alone, that's not including the fox either. Once the procedure starts and the Gogyo Fuin is released, everything will proceed from there. How is his status though from the physical we ran?" Orochimaru asked.

"Well according to what's written here. Everything is off the charts like usual with him these days. Healing is practically instantaneous, senses are heightened beyond human, maybe even higher than our estimates of the Inuzuka, muscle tissue development is optimal. His skeleton looks like an adults skeleton, though it has a larger cross-section now thanks to it's growing larger, not to mention bone density seems to be at the maximum limit possible. Hence his greater weight. That and others are all at their normal levels for him." He stated, handing the charts to his master.

"Good, it's nice to know his healing factor is a product of his Natural biology now rather than reliant on his chakra or tenant. Also, I have to say, that as a wondering Idea you had for shaping and sharpening the boy's claws." He said t his direct subordinate who waved it off.

"It's was nothing Lord Orochimaru. But I have to ask, wasn't it a bit much making them double-edged and as sharp as Obsidian razors?" He asked his master.

"No. If this proceeds like I assume, it can only work in his favor. I assume our material is also ready?"

"Yes my Lord. The highest grade of Chakra conductive steel we can get, that black receiver rod you aid you got while you were in the Akatsuki, A sliver of the metal from Kubikiribocho and a scale from Samehada. These are all of our samples of these materials, my lord. Are you sure this will work? If it doesn't this will be one major waste."

"It will. We're pairing blood from a Magnet release user to blood from a Steel release user. The two deal with metals and their combination under the assimilation of the Kyuubi's chakra will graft the materials to his body successfully. Funny thing though about steel release. It doesn't actually involve steel. It uses the naturally occurring Iron in the body and replicates it throughout the body to produce the metal skin. Tests showed it does this with any metal present in the body, so it's better to be called Metal release instead. And it's part of the reason why we're using all of our rare materials."

"Then if his body in the procedure can amalgamize the materials into a singular alloy that his body can produce, we'll have a ready stock to just take from as needed and he'll heal it back from anything we take."

"Exactly. Now the solution is breaking down the metals into a liquid solution for the injection phase. We best get down there for our parts." He stated and they both walked down to the main floor of the lab. Checking the various equipment, seals, and markers he nodded and looked to his staff. "Begin." He stated and it was a flurry of movement.

The injection phase started with injections of various chemicals for priming the body, acting as catalysts and buffers to the other injections to follow. Then followed by blood injections with a second dose of chemicals, and finally the metal solution itself. Nodding, Orochimaru activated the seals on his body and the altar, where they started manipulating everything in his body. Seal phase has done now it was time for the fox, the release phase.

"Gogyo Fujin; Kai!" He called out as he struck his hand to the Kyuubi's seal, releasing it and as expected, the fox's chakra shot out like a raging storm covering the boy's body as soon as it was released. Naruto awoke with a start in screams, changing to his initial Jinchuuriki state as he struggled against his bonds, but the procedure wasn't yet done. Between the seals and the fox's chakra, all of the foreign materials in his body should be working together now and being absorbed.

The procedure didn't last long, but it was intense. It did end quietly though as he seemed to relax once the seals ran their course, fading as their intended job was accomplished. The fox's chakra receded as well and the boy settled, his breathing normally. "It's done...and he's alive." The right-hand man spoke.

"Yes, he is. But was the procedure a success?" Orochimaru stated as he walked around to check on the instruments monitoring the boy's condition.

"A moment." The man spoke, grabbing a scalpel and putting it on the boy's finger, opening up the flesh to see a metallic sheen on the bone of the finger. "A success sir. It's metal." He stated and Orochimaru smiled.

"Good, get him prepped for memory altering then. We need him to be weak of will and mind for better results."

"Yes, My Lord I'll-Geh!?" He grunted out, feeling his lower abdomen punctured. He looked to his side to see a pair of red eyes staring up at him, red eyes with black slits. Looking down he saw three Metallic black claws in his gut. The boy tore out to the side, gutting him before cutting at his other restraints.

"Stop him!" One of the doctors called out. But the boy snarled and ran, stumbling a bit along the way, however, he made a good time as he cut through a guard and roared. His double-edged sharpened claws cutting through him easily. He cut a tall piece of equipment that fell behind him, leaking chemicals on the floor. The locked door gave him no resistance as he cut clean through the metal and jumped out. Men went to chase him, but the chemicals mixed, and with contact with the air, caused an explosion which blocked their path.

Naruto rushed through the facility, running off instinct alone as his mind fogged with rage and the Kyuubi's influence just guided him to find a way out. Anyone in his way was cut down and moved past. ANy attack he received may have hurt, but new metal skeleton seemed capable of deflecting any weapon they threw at him. He cut through the last barred door and stepped through it where he suddenly came out into the cold air outside. It was snowing...the boy couldn't recall the last time he had seen snow. But snows from behind made him run for all he was worth, claws ready to gut any who came for him as he disappeared into the wilderness.

Meanwhile back in the lab, The guards were putting out the fire and cleaning up the mess. Orochimaru sneered as he looked around the lab. This had been a disaster. The boy had run off, all of that time wasted. Gritting his teeth, he looked down to the cooling corpse of his Right-hand.

"What a pity. You were quite the capable right hand. Though I suppose this opens up the way for Kabuto now to take your place. But a little pity is in an order I suppose. We'll bury you properly I think. Rest in piece Stryker." He said, sighing over the loss of a fine subordinate. This was a great loss, but perhaps he was too greedy to empower the boy as he had. A lesson learned, too much success can be a bad thing he supposed, or not to put all his bets on one line, something along those lines, he'd just have to do better next time.

"Pack everything up. We're leaving, this base is compromised now." He ordered to everyone as he left the lab.


	2. Kuzuri

**Next chapter of this is out. Was struck with impulse inspiration so had to immediately write and this is what happened. Next chapter will feature a time skip and flashbacks, mainly because the training and adventures with tsunade and shizune will go a lot of places that will be better served in flashbacks and keep you readers in suspense. anyway, here we go.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any x-men/marvel affiliaited media or material.**

"Kuzuri?"

"Yeah, that's what we call it."

A gruff man spoke in the markets as he sat behind his stand where displayed was several cuts of meat that had been hunted as well as leathers and furs, the man a hunter of the town. Before he was a woman in a dark kimono with short black hair, dark eyes and a smooth complexion.

"About 5 or so months back I'd guess is when it showed up. Before then we had a real problem with bandits and a high predator count such as wolves, bears and anything else with fangs and claws with a hunger to be met. Bandits would come through and basically had free run of the village while predators made wild game scarce and hunting the wolves and bears can be risky. Now it's different." The man stated as he was working on a bit of leather, stitching a seam together on his current project.

"How has this... Kuzuri, helped?" The woman asked, intrigued.

"Well, it first started out with like any other animal, made its territory. I and the other hunters saw it plain as day with the deep three claw gouges in trees over bear claws gouges, challenging for territory, and judging from a few dead bears, some wolves, you can guess who won that challenge. Oddest thing though was the carcasses of them were left where we could find them. We ate good thanks to that." He stated, pointing his small leatherworking tool at his coat made of bear fur. "It's after that the bandits came by again and took notice of our fortune."

"What'd they do?" She asked, now invested into the story and the man smiled at her eagerness to hear the story.

"Well they thought they'd go find this thing, we hadn't named it yet back then, but when they left into the woods, we feared the worse for the animal that'd been a help to us so far, though we were a bit afraid of it for good reason. To kill off bears and wolves like it did is a bit unnerving."

"Like how?"

"The cuts in them were deep, the deepest had to be 7, maybe 8 inches, and the ease of the cuts said the claws were extremely sharp and sharp along the entire claw. Never heard of an animal with claws like that and it's not an animal I fancy meeting at all, even now. Anyway, the bandits went into the woods to find it, and they did. Though they were wishing they didn't I bet. We didn't hear anything and next we went into the woods to hunt, we found their corpses strewn across a clearing, some had arms and legs severed, others stabbed through, some were gutted, it was a mess. Buzzards and other animals were already eating on them. We just field stripped them of anything useful and left the corpses for the animals. The weird thing is though, Kuzuri didn't feed on them."

"How do you know that?" She asked, now leaning against the side of the stan closer to the man to listen better and comfortably. The man stopped for a moment to make a quick deal selling a fur with some meat before he continued his busy work and talking.

"When an animal feeds it'll settle itself a bit by the carcass and take it's time to eat if it's a top predator like Kuzuri is. But doing that leaves distinctive tracks and impressions of where it was sitting or laying while it ate. There were none of Kuzuri's tracks around it like that like we saw around the bears and wolves, plus the claw cuts were just to kill the men, not to eat them. They invaded his territory with the intent to hunt him, he hunted them instead and that was the result. It was after that we named him Kuzuri." He stated and finished his work, checking it over before setting it on the stand and giving the woman his full attention.

"After that, we treated the woods as his territory, we're guests there, so long as we keep our noses clean in it, he leaves us alone. Every time we hunt we leave a piece behind as offering to him to show we mean no harm and as gratitude for everything he's done for us, whether he meant to or not. Some have even gotten it in their heads he might be some kind of local guardian deity who decided to restore balance to the area, they went and made a little shrine at the town gates, you no doubt saw it." He told her as he picked up new busy work.

"Yes, we did. It was a curious thing really, we didn't see it there before last time we passed through, I was honestly curious about it, hence why I asked about it." She stated and the man nodded.

"Yep. Damndest thing too, people leave offerings there and next day they're gone. Some people have tried to see him, but they only caught glimpses at best." He said, pulling a length of flaxen cord on a needle through a new piece of leather.

"What did they see?" She asked.

"Well, for starters it's small, about the size of a monkey or a large child, which is damn hard to believe."

"How so?"

"Because it's heavy. Its tracks are deep and very detailed, you get that from animals with a heavyweight. But it's also some form of human shape, almost like a monkey. It's got a footprint like a human, but with clawed toes, but walks and runs on the balls of its feet most, you only see the heel when it stops and uses its hands on the ground to help get a running start, stop, or quickly change directions, otherwise it's all on two feet. The hands also seemed to be clawed from what we saw of the tracks, and it has no problem using its hands to help vault over logs it can climb." He said, painting a picture in the woman's head of some kind of feral super clawed wolf-like primate.

"From what was seen it seems to stay hunched over while walking and close to the ground. But the weirdest thing of all, despite how dark it was when they saw him, they swear up and down they saw the color red on it, mainly around the head and shoulders, and I mean red, like the color of blood. But they couldn't make out any other fur color in the dark so they're assuming the rest of its fur is dark. Couldn't catch a sight of any snout so they're thinking its flat faced." He stated.

"That's quite the animal." She stated.

"Aye, indeed. We leave him alone, except for what we leave behind in our hunts and at the shrine, he keeps the predator countdown, bandits don't live long enough to mess with us. Hunting has been good, we can build up our village better, we can farm in peace without worry of bandits attacking the village while we work our fields, honestly, the entire village is thankful to Kuzuri so we respect him and show our thanks every chance we get." The man said, making the woman nod.

"You never thought t maybe go look for it? Just to see it?" SHe asked, but at the man's deadpan look and silence she pursed her lips.

"Right, let me get right on that, intentionally go looking for a wild animal that has no trouble killing bears, wolves and a group of trained or at least experienced bandits like an adult fighting a child, all for probably getting too close to it's home. No. We respect Kuzuri, and also fear him. That fear makes sure we don't screw with it, fear is there for a reason after all. We respect him by giving him his room, and not mucking around in his woods." He said while pointing the tool he had at her then to the woods.

"I understand, I'm sorry for that." SHe spoke, not wanting to upset or offend him but he waved it off.

"Ah, don't be, it's our nature to be curious. Few lads, two brothers, thought like you and went in to look for it. They got a right mighty scare when they no doubt found it, but never saw it. They heard a growl or grunt one way turn an look to find nothing, then hear wood being cut and turn around to find a tree with three deep claw gouges in it. That was their only warning and they heeded it and bolted off back here right quick. They knew if Kuzuri had wanted to they'd be dead then. When the boys got back and told everyone what happened, their father bent them over and gave them both a whooping so bad right in the street they'd not sit down for a week then their mother chewed them out right there for all to see and hear."

"Oh, my." She said, a bit anxious with the story until she heard the boys lived. Though their punishment was understandable given the circumstances, it was a bit funny though.

"You laugh now, wait till you hear the kicker. Both boys were over 16. They'd never been so bad embarrassed or humiliated since they were knee-high to their parents." The man finished and she was a fit of giggles thinking of two boys, almost men, being bent over and spanked by an older man and then chewed out by an older woman like they were both 6 all over again, and in public too. "Aye, the lads learned, as did the rest of the children, not to go where you don't belong. They were lucky to be living after that stupid lark of theirs." He finished.

"Very lucky. Sounds like this entire town has quite the relationship and reverence for this Kuzuri." She said.

"Aye that we do. Some of the shops made charms and trinkets out of it. Little medallions with three claw cuts, or dyed blood red fur things to wear, all to represent Kuzuri, wear them for good luck since he's brought us that and more ever since he came." He spoke. "Well, that's about all I can tell you about Kuzuri. Thanks for hearing out an old hunter. Are you in town for a while or just passing through?" He asked.

"It depends on my companion really. She makes the travel plans, I'm here in the market to restock on our supplies." She motioned to her bags of purchases she had so far.

"Ah, I see. Well, might want to get some food as offering then, can't hurt to be prepared then."

"I'll do that. Thank you for telling me the story. Take care, sir." She said, leaving him to his stand to tend and going on her way.

The Woman was intrigued by the story, and though she knew the condition of the town last time they passed through, it was a little hard to believe in this Kuzuri. In one way it sounded like a wild animal did, in fact, make this area it's territory, on the other, with the merchandise and now even some tourist, it gave off the feel of a made up myth to attract tourists and help their economy, those few side stories to validate this Kuzuri more. However, she couldn't deny the boost in this village's economy and generally good atmosphere. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the condition of the village before and now was like night and day.

As for this Kuzuri itself, such an animal was unlike anything she'd ever heard of before. It sounded vicious, yet intelligent. She couldn't help but think that rather than an animal it might be some kind of feral summon creature. She'd heard in passing about such things happening, an animal summon would go feral, though no summon animal would talk of it directly, almost like it was taboo to do so, yet their summoners sometimes would make mention of it, likely with loose lips from a few bottles of sake. However, not one mention of why a summon animal would go feral has ever been known, and if it was a true occurrence, then it was likely the reason would never be known to summoners or other humans.

She sighed thinking of this matter. If it was a summon creature, then eventually the original summoning clan would either send their summoner or one of their stronger members to come handle it or even request the village their summoner belonged to in an official mission to handle it. Summon clan issues was dealt with similar to shinobi clans, non-interference unless the clan seeks outside aid. But if it wasn't a summon creature... then what could it be? From what she learned it painted a dramatic picture of it and if it was a naturally living animal, she scarcely wanted to believe there could be more of them out there, less so if this was a juvenile by any chance.

She shook her head of such thoughts as she had to get back, she was finished shopping now so she had to return, likely they would be gone soon enough that it wouldn't matter knowing more about this Kuzuri or not, it was just a momentary, if interesting, distraction for her, nothing else. Thinking of it though, she was suddenly met with the image of her companion walking toward her, her walk was with purpose and had urgency in it, a pig by her side.

"Shizune, have you gotten everything?" The woman asked the now identified Shizune.

"Yes Tsunade-Sama, is there a problem?" SHe asked, though judging by her fast walk and scowl, she had an idea.

"People were in the hotel showing a picture of us asking if they'd seen us. We're leaving. Don't know why they're looking for us or for who, but we're not sticking around to find out." The identified Tsunade spoke as she and now Shinzune were walking out of the market. The dark haired woman took a moment to seal all of the purchases, thankful they hadn't unpacked anything yet.

"Which way will we be taking Tsunade-Sama, they'll be looking for us on the roads," Shizune asked.

"The woods, we'll traverse the woodland for a while before coming back onto a road," Tsunade informed, but heard a slight intake of breath from her apprentice. "That a problem?" She asked.

"Well... no, but, there's something you should know about. I can't verify it 100% but the locals talk of a creature they call Kuzuri that has made the woods around here its territory. It's killed off the previous predators, bandits that tried to go after it, and it's intelligent enough to give a single warning to trespassers without being seen to leave just from the stories I've heard. It sounds like a feral summon-animal, to be honest." She spoke and the blonde woman stopped a moment to consider her words.

Having a contract of her own, the slugs informed her, minimally at least, about feral summon animals, though not the why or how they become feral. If there was one in these woods, then it might become a problem if they encounter it, however, if they wanted to avoid their pursuers there wasn't much choice. "There's nothing for it. We'll only be passing through the woods, not looking for this Kuzuri. In and out, no trouble, we should be fine. If we encounter it, we'll deal with it as needed." He tone said that was the end of it and Shizune sighed.

"Yes, Tsunade-Sama." The woman agreed, picking up Tonton and they ran into the tree line, unaware of someone spotting them.

The two women ran at speed through the woods, keeping attention to their backs and cursory attention everywhere else. If they were paying more attention then they'd have noticed sooner what was ahead of them. They were forced to stop when a load growl resounded throughout the forest. Tonton was trembling in Shizune's arms already and the two women had a look at what stopped them.

Under 5 feet, 4 and a half maybe, topped with a mop of red hair reaching past the shoulders to the chest, biceps and shoulder blades in greasy locks and gnarled knots, tanned skin, blackened clothes from dirt, grime and other stains with rips, tears, and along each hem it was frayed or shredded. A heavy and pronounced bone structure easily seen, especially in the hands and feet, looking a size or two too big for the body they were attached to. Supporting those bones though was a mass of muscle too large and defined for such a small body.

What really caught their attention though was the black claws in place of finger and toenails, sharp incisor teeth like fangs, three dark whisker marks on the cheeks, and then the red eyes with black slits. They stared at them, while the being was slightly hunched over, placing a hand on the ground, sniffing the air, then blinking and tilting the head to the side confusingly.

"A child?" Tsunade spoke, clearly confused herself. What was a child doing out here? Judging from his appearance he didn't come from the town, so why was he out here by himself in the woods? Then there was the fact that his appearance could scare off wolves.

Shizune, on the other hand, was looking at the boy curiously, she was taking in his traits and had a nagging thought she didn't connect quite yet. He seemed familiar in a way like she should recognize him but wasn't. However, her musing over it was cut short as she saw the child approach, using his hands to the ground for a few cautious steps towards them, continuing to sniff the air, almost like an animal... Exactly like an animal.

"Tsunade-Sama, I think this might be-" Her attempt to inform her master of her theory was cut short by a new voice. One that had the boy on the defense.

"Sneaky Tsunade, running off into the woods thinking we wouldn't find you. Unluckily for you, someone noticed you're leaving and practically threw a fit of someone coming into the woods like you had. When we heard your description we followed, lucky us." The voice stated and appeared a man in dark clothes with a long coat, his face shadowed by a hood. "I don't care for theatrics so I'll plainly state myself. I represent a client you've racked up a rather large debt with, one who's willing to pay half your debt's worth for our services to bring you to him. Will you come quietly or do I and my subordinates have to do it with force?" The man asked as several similarly dressed people came out of the shadows.

"Kuro no Heishi, The Black Soldiers," Tsunade spoke looking at the men. Shizune stiffened and the boy sniffed the air, growling lowly.

"I'm honored you know of us. But I reiterate. Will you come with us peacefully, or by force?" The man spoke once more.

"You are aware I'm one of the Sannin, right? Besides who would pay half my debt's worth just to bring me to them. Surely I'm not worth that much over a debt to earn paying out a half more to bring me to them." She stated, fishing for information. 'This is bad. Shizune can look after herself, for the most part, she's on par with Jonin, but these are the Black Soldiers, they may as well be Anbu in strength and how they work together. Not to mention the kid, they'll no doubt try to use him and if they can, Shizune as hostages.'

"Force it is then. As for you're being a Sannn, we are aware, but you are getting older, you're out of practice, and you have two major weaknesses in front and beside you." The man stated as he adjusted his gloves. "Not to worry, our client wants you alive and well. But he wants you for a reason besides the debt. WHo however will be found out when we get there." He stated, finishing the conversation. The men all fell into ready stances, but before they moved, they heard the growls of the boy.

They watched as the boy growled at the lead man, baring his teeth and his posture was forward leaning, taking a stomp forward in challenge. "Hmmm, odd, a feral child. Perhaps an abandoned animal ally clan child like the Inuzuka?" He mused mirthfully. "Well, it doesn't matter. Ko." He stated, mirth goe before they all moved forward, one, in particular, moving in on the boy.

Tsunade and Shizune tensed a moment, but immediately their attention was recaptured by the child as they heard a metallic sound and watched with grim fascination as three black polished blades extended from between the knuckles of the boy's hands. Their surprise was further elevated when the boy rushed with a burst of speed at the one identified as Ko, the surprise taking him off guard as his blades carved through his side like butter, showering the ground in blood and his entrails.

The shock was palpable until Shizune spoke. "Kuzuri... this is their Kuzuri, the description is dead on. But he's just a boy." She whispered in the small moment of reprieve before all chaos started.

"A loss. Handle the boy with care this time." The man spoke to the rest as they all closed at this time. They all closed in and the fighting started. Neither Tsunade nor Shizune could spare the boy any help, but what they saw next, he didn't need it. The soldiers facing him threw kunai, shuriken, and Senbon which struck him, those that hit his chest sunk in, bleeding, setting Tsunade on edge further with the blood, but the ones that hit his head... deflected, with sparks and a metal on metal sound. They could see black polished metal under the exposed skin and could see it close in mere seconds without a scar, while the weapons in his body were pushed out and the wounds healed.

The boy simply growled at the ones who attacked him before he rushed them with unrestrained primal rage in a roar, the claws swiping at the one closest, who used a kunai to block but was met with the realization that was a useless move as the claws cut through the kunai and into him, leaving three bloody tracks down his face and front which spilled blood like a broken faucet over the boy. Stained red, chakra gathered within him and he only seemed to get faster as he charged his other attackers.

Tsunade was a mess of nerves at the sight of such a brutal display of bloodletting, but her own preservation instinct won out as she controlled her fear enough to get into the fight. With the boy handling his own group, the fighting was a bit easier than she expected, obviously, they had only prepared for her and Shizune with the intent to use Shizune as a hostage, respecting her strength as a Sannin. Not the wild card they couldn't calculate for which proved to be impervious to traditional attacks on the boy.

Shizune was using a tanto to surprisingly good effect against her attackers and much to her own surprise as she hadn't displayed such a reliability with a tanto before, something she'd ask about later. The boy though, despite apparently being feral, obviously had shinobi training, no doubt, and damn good training if she was any judge. That training though was being directed as a wild feral animal fueled by instinct and rage, though the chakra she was feeling was sending chills up and down her spine. She'd deal with it later though as she punched another soldier who underestimated her.

The end result was that the leader of the group was the only one left, who held a tanto of his own in reverse grip, the fall and rise of his shoulders indicating heavy breathing. "I'll admit I may have underestimated you, but even then we prepared for that. The boy was just our bad luck it seems, something we couldn't have prepared for. We will follow through our contract Tsunade, count on that." The man stated before he booked it from the clearing.

Once the man was gone, Shizune fell to her knees and breathed heavily, the effort of the fight intense on her, while Tsunade loosed the strangled hold on her nerves and collapsed just as well, putting a hand to her face to try and calm herself. Both had forgotten that the boy wasn't exactly an ally. But they heard a low growl and saw the boy looking at them, but he was sniffing again, this time looking at them with confused curiosity and if they weren't imagining it, concern. A low, soft growl as he inched forward, claws still drawn but not held up as he approached.

The boy almost looked innocent if it weren't for the bloodbath he took, literally.

Tsunade's nerves weren't helping her, so Shizune took control of the situation and shakily stood up only to collapse to her knee's again. The boy snapped his head to her when she moved, but when she fell he eased, before moving to her a little quicker, looking at her, concern more clear in his red eyes. "I'm okay." She said, trying to sound reassuring, but the look in his eyes said he didn't believe her, showing he understood her just fine. He then turned and stepped to the edge of the clearing, before looking back at them and then to woods again.

"I think he... wants us to follow him?" She spoke with confusion, getting a slight nod in return. Shizune di her best to stand up, finally getting to her feet and hauling Tsunade to her feet. Tonton followed the two women as they walked away from the clearing, which helped Tsunade who was finally able to walk on her own. They continued to follow until they came upon a stream and the boy just jumped into the stream, showing it was shallow, then dunked under before coming up and shaking himself, the fresh blood rinsed from his person before he started moving again, his walk clearly on his forefoot and his form hunched over and forward slightly.

"At least he puts more effort into hygiene than most 'civilized' men do," Tsunade spoke and Shizune chuckled while Tsunade grinned, but seeing the boy turn and cock his head to the side, then a small impression of a smile caught the edges of his lips, showing his fangs just slightly. The boy just became more and more curious as he led them. Finally, they came to a shallow cave where they could see some rags of cloth, cleaned bones, furs, things Shizune had seen being offered at the shrine before.

He motioned with his head toward the cave, and the women recognized as this was where he slept, and rather than be rude, they moved in and took a seat on some of the furs. They watched the boy curiously as he gathered up some wood, piled it up and produced a single claw blade on each hand, cut off some shavings and then strike the claws against each other to spark and light the shavings, starting a fire. Looking at each other, they looked back to the boy and couldn't help but have questions.

"Um..." Shizune started and the boy snapped his head to them immediately, making them tense. He just stared for a while before the same head cocking to the side indicating confusion. "You do understand us, right?" She asked, and the return nod was answering. "Can you not talk?" She asked.

The boy narrowed his eyes before looking down, then opened his mouth and what followed was a small series of grunts, strained breaths and finally, though rough, words. "I... can." He got out, and Shizune nodded but decided to not make him strain his voice, obviously having not used it for so long aside from what they had heard before it.

"Okay. Um, well let's start with introductions, My Name is Shizune Kato, and this is Tsunade Senju. What's yours?" She asked.

"N-Na... Naruto Uz... Uzumaki." He said and both women's eyes widened almost comically at the name. But he didn't know why. "S-Senju... Like, Ha-Hashirama?" He asked, his voice coming through better now.

"Yes, Naruto. Hashirama was my grandfather actually." Tsunade said, smiling fondly at the memory of her grandfather. The boy seemed interested in that, but Tsunade had her own questions, now that she knew his name. "Naruto... you were originally from Konoha right?" she asked.

"Y-Yes." He spoke, sitting by the fire and tossing a few more sticks on.

"Who abducted you from the village?" She asked. But saw the boy shake his head.

"R-Ran a-away." He stated and the females eyes narrowed.

"That's not what he told us," Tsunade stated looking to Shizune who nodded. "Why did you run away?" She asked.

"People," the first word he managed to say clearly without a struggle. "h-hurt, me." Those three words sent a chill through them but the next made them sick. "Should...have...stayed." He breathed out, effort clear, but now his words were easy to understand, seemingly the more he talked, the clearer it became.

"Why Naruto? If they hurt you, then why stay?" Shizune asked. But she was confused until the boy showed her his left arm and spoke one name.

"Orochimaru." He hissed out with utter hatred, both women swore they saw his eyes glow, and the KI was suffocating. But they felt sick hearing that name with what they saw. On his arm, tattooed into the flesh, S-317300. Then it became all too frighteningly clear for them both just what had happened.

"Orochimaru..." Tsunade hissed out, that was a sore spot for her. Her fellow teammate turned traitor. She took a breath and looked at Naruto. "I was told you were a blonde haired blue eyed boy with whisker marks. All I see are the whiskers. That and the claws, the metal, he did this to you?" She asked and the boy nodded. "For how long?" She asked.

"How long... since gone?" he asked.

"As of today? just a little under two years...the people in town said Kuzuri came about 5 or so months ago." Shizune spoke.

"Year and... half." He huffed out through his teeth, realizing he'd been captured for now. "Caught me... the first day... away."

"A year and a half held captive and experimented on... by kami, and now half a year alone in the wilds?" She spoke.

"First... few months... in wilds...cloudy, hazy." He stated and the women understood, he'd only gained his full mental faculties back months ago. "Who... told you... bout me?" He finally asked.

"Jiraiya of the Sannin, he's the spymaster for Konoha. He and several others have been out looking for you, he told us you were abducted when he found us and spoke to you, asked us just to keep an eye out. Said they found a trail leading out toward the east of the village." Shizune stated from memory of the meeting with Jiraiya many months back.

Naruto, however, shook his head, taking a deep breath. "Left west... left a note for Jiji." He stated, able to finally get more than two words a time out now.

"Jiji?" Shizune asked.

"Hokage," Naruto answered simply and both women giggled a little at that. However, that giggling stopped when they processed his words.

"Something about this doesn't smell right..." Tsunade spoke, looking to Naruto. "Naruto, do you mind if I use a jutsu to check on your health? I want to check to make sure that snake bastard of a former teammate of mine didn't do anything else to you that we can't see." She asked. Naruto looked apprehensive, but after a few silent minutes, which they gave without question, he nodded and stepped forward, albeit with a visible tremble. "I won't hurt you, I promise. Watch."

She made a few hand seals before he hands began to glow green, holding it over her own arms. "This is medical ninjutsu, used by healers. See, isn't hurting me." She spoke, letting him see and he nodded. She smiled softly at him to help ease his worries as she ran a hand over each of his arms before scanning the rest of him.

"Tsunade-Sama?" Shizune asked.

"Just a moment Shizune." She spoke, getting up and moving around the boy before she found something, not what she was looking for but it was just as bad considering. "Shizune, a hand please?" She asked and the woman nodded. However, she saw exactly what Tsunade wanted her to see. through his clothes, they could see the gentle glow of a sealing array on Naruto's back under the influence of the jutsu in her hands, an array that branches upward revealing a seal on the back of his head.

"Tsunade-Sama." She spoke her tone even but her expression showing her concern. Tsunade nodded and sighed, but hid her shock.

"Naruto. We found something on your back and head. It's a seal, with your permission we'd like to release it, but it may hurt or even knock you out if we do. The seal seems to be some kind of restraint." She asked and Naruto grew panicked then gave an impatient nod.

"Do... it." He huffed, his breathing labor after the small intense panic.

"Alright then, just hold still," Tsunade spoke, placing her green glowing hands to both seals. She channeled chakra into the seals and breathed out before molding said chakra and twisting her hands. The glowing seals brightened and then spun before they unwove and vanished. The boy took a sharp breath before falling backward to be thankfully caught. "Boy's heavy." She remarked, then tried to lift him. "Make that very heavy." She amended.

They saw, however, the change, his claws receded and changed from black to white nails, open mouth showed fangs shortening, but not vanishing, whisker marks lost some of their intensity, while the darkened skin around the eyes merely thinned. The red hair stayed and opening his eyelid showed blue eyes with round pupils. "That's what that was, the fox." She stated and sighed setting the boy down to rest.

"Tsunade-Sama, how did you know the release of those seals?" She asked.

"Because I recognized the sealing style, I should after having seen it so long, and they certainly weren't the snake's." She said and Shizune gasped at the implication.

"Jiraiya's? but that's-"

"I know... By kami do I know." She spoke, looking down at the boy whose head was resting in her lap. the hair falling back t show his face fully, she smiled seeing a face similar to Nawaki's. "Although I don't want to believe it, it'd be foolish to think Sensei wasn't involved. Aside from the fox seal and the marker seal on his arm, that was the only other seal on his body." She stated, stroking his hair. "It's too sophisticated to be anyone else's work and it' done in his signature style, he integrates the same releasing method into most of his work for convenience, lazy I call it, but good for Naruto he was lazy." She stated.

"From what little I could decipher, I saw what looked to be script affecting brain chemistry, such as the release of endorphins, inducing mild shocks, a script that interferes with the Hippocampus, another that limits chakra flow to the brain and a few others similar to it on different areas of the brain. On his back, it looked like a control matrix and a chakra regulation seal and a modified suppression style seal like they use on prisoners." She said, making Tsunade nod with a grim smile.

"You've been studying. Good. But yes you are mostly right... What you saw was essentially a multi-layered ringed formation style seal, where a 'core' deemed the most important is the core, ringed by seals deemed less important one after the other, tied to a core control matrix and ringed by the regular seal and then the modified suppression seal. The seals on his head though were the real problem."

"Tsunade?" She asked.

"The outer ring was a modified mental suppression seal, it limits the flow of chakra to the brain, reducing mental capacity because of reduced chakra flow. However since it was the outer most ring it's influence was weakest and it was modified to 50% it's actual output, layered like it was, he was probably only getting 30% of his full chakra to his brain unless he was fighting when chakra flow is higher."

"The inner ring was a memory clouding seal, also modified, design to interface with the Hippocampus and make it difficult to access certain memories, also affecting memory retention. It was directly linked with the core seal and worked off parameters set in the core seal no doubt."

"And the core seal?" Shizune asked, almost afraid to know.

"The fabled and truth be told, bullshit, Loyalty seal," Tsunade revealed and Shizune was at a loss for words.

"But...I thought that didn't exist." She spoke.

"It doesn't. It's closer to a training seal, the parameters are woven into the script of the seal and when a parameter is met, it'll deliver a shock or a release of endorphins. It's no different than training a damn dog with treats or punishment. And since it was tied to the memory clouding seal, I'm willing to bet Naruto only remembered vague impressions of being hurt by the people in Konoha, even let it happen to him so as to not be shocked by the seal or suffer massive headaches because of it. Since it was the core seal it had the strongest effect. No doubt with how intricate it was it had a great number of parameters woven into it."

"But if that was the case, then it would effectively train him into being loyal, obedient and a baseless believer in whatever the parameters demanded, and that he wouldn't be able to associate what went against the parameters like bad memories to new experiences, nor do the thinking he needed to make that connection in the first place."

"Exactly. And it was all done in Jiraiya's sealing style. Not to mention the back seals would regulate his chakra growth, while the suppression seal would absorb the excess chakra from the regulator seal and disperse it around his body, messing with his chakra control, making traditional stealth impossible to him from sensor type, trained, or chakra sensitive shinobi. A way to track him. Despite the regulator, they allowed him massive reserves, but if I read it right, they should be immense."

"They wanted to know and control everything he did and where." Shizune summarized and Tsunade nodded.

"Seems like Konoha is no different in how they treat their Jinchuuriki."

"I know he's the container for the fox, but he's just a boy, why would they even do this?"

"Fear, power, a leash, take your pick. What I do know is that this is wrong. The kid doesn't deserve this." She stated.

"What do we do then?" Shizune asked.

"...Konoha will keep looking for him, Sandaime will make sure they don't quit, eventually, they will find him, his chakra is just too distinctive to be kept hidden. He'll have to go back to Konoha eventually. But, that doesn't mean it can't be on our terms, well prepared with a few plans, back-ups and counter-measures in place." She stated with a smile.

"Tsunade-Sama, you're not suggesting..." She spoke up but the woman nodded.

"I am. I grew sick of Konoha and what it represented years ago, now this just reinforced it. My grandfather's village is dead, living on his and his brother's past glory. The last vestige of Konoha being any good likely died with the fourth. If he agree's to it, we'll take him with us and train him, explain what we found. We won't lie to him like Konoha has." She said and Shizune though a little troubled by this, couldn't help but smile at the soft face she was making at Naruto who's hair she kept stroking as he slept.

"We should probably go back to that village to buy him some things and explain they won't have their Kuzuri anymore."

"Right... heh. Not even a teenager yet and he already has a Moniker." She mused and Shizune smiled at the affection she was showing the boy. She felt for the boy and his suffering, the fact that he looked like Nawaki only helped the association, followed up by it being both her team-mates fault for different reasons to naruto's condition made her feel a guilty conscience and debt to the boy. She'd have to watch her and make sure this didn't develop negatively. For now, though, it looked to be positive in helping her open up, even to outright forget sake, for the time being, definitely a self-guilt and surrogate attachment, but she'd just have to keep watch.

"Shizune. I think revealing he's the Kuzuri might be a bad idea." Tsunade spoke, making her apprentice look to her. "It might be inviting trouble to the town and onto us especially if they learn their Kuzuri is gone. Let them keep believing their Kuzuri is still out here, it's been a help to them and the myth of it will help them."

Shizune thought it over and nodded. If the village thought they were going to be taking away their Kuzuri...that could turn bad. "I understand Tsunade-Sama. I can return to town under a henge to gather more supplies for him and we can stay out here a few days until we're ready to travel." She summarized and Tsunade nodded.

"Do it. I think when he wakes up, it's going to be a painful experience for him with his mind now clear." She stated and Shizune nodded, moving to do just that. Tsunade kept stroking his hair, despite it still being greasy and grime, she couldn't care less. "Just what has that bastard snake all done to you, you poor, poor boy." She spoke, seeing him draw up a little up against her.

[Hours Later]

Shizune had come back a few hours later, after having field stripped the black soldier corpses of anything of use, Leaving the corpses, she'd gone into town under a disguise and gotten more supplies, clothes a little bigger than Naruto, extra food, and more. Returning to the cave, Tsunade was still sitting with Naruto's head in her lap, still asleep and likely for his own good at the moment.

"I think the seal may have been keeping him feral," Tsunade spoke.

"How so?" She asked.

"Well, I can only speculate, but he may have experienced a trauma that forced him to think on fight or flight only responses, operating out of the lower brain on survival instincts. Because of how I explained the functions of those seals before, it likely locked him into that state of mind and made recovering from it a long enduring process. Which you saw the result of 5-6 months of it. He himself said that the first few months were a haze."

"A lot of people will have much to answer for," Shizune stated and Tsunade nodded.

"They will, in time. For now, unpack everything and clean up the area please, we're going to be here a while." She stated and Shizune nodded, proceeding to do just that. Setting up the area as their own camp. It was about an hour after that when Naruto started to stir that Tsunade looked down and smiled at the boy as he awoke.

"Sleep well?" She asked, seeing him stare up at her in slight...awe? Bout as best as she could read that expression. She decided she liked the blue eyes better on him.

"Yes. Thank you Senju-san-"

"You don't have to do all that, just call me what you want." She told the boy, who looked up at her a little skeptically but nodded. "Now, Shizune here got you some fresh clothes and hygiene supplies, why don't you go on and get cleaned up then come back and we can eat and talk okay?" She asked and the boy saw the small bag she was holding out for him.

"Why... are you helping me?" He asked, his voice much better now. He was cautious and for good reason.

"I'll... explain that, after you clean up and eat. You'll understand then, I promise." She said, making the boy eye her suspiciously. She sighed, getting his trust may have been easier while his mind was fogged like it was before, but now it was a bit harder. "We'll be here when you come back. No worries."

The boy was quite a moment longer before he nodded and made his way to the sighed an looked at Shizune. "This might be harder to explain everything then I thought."

"It may be, but knowing the full truth and how it affects him will let him make his own decisions instead of others making it for him." She spoke and Tsunade nodded.

"Speaking of the truth, just when did you learn to use a tanto so well?" She asked and Shizune looked to the side.

"Well... back when I was younger. Remember when I asked about self-defense and needing something to offset my defensive skills at the time? Around then. Picked up a few kenjutsu manuals here and there as well as that tanto. Just kept practicing it ever since." She stated and Tsunade hummed.

"Not bad, and seeing as how you put it to use, I can't fault you for it. Ever thought of expanding on those skills?" She asked and Shiune nodded.

"A bit, but mainly I just worked on blade craft. Having proper technique over flashy power was best."

"Indeed." She stated and noticed red from the corner of her eye, turning to see Naruto coming back. This time though he was completely clean and now she could have a better looked at him.

Although there seemed to be some effort, he stood at 4'10", a little tall for his age, while fro when she carried him earlier she guessed he was over 400lbs easy, likely because of the metal in his body her scan revealed. He was tan, but blemish free, with a young smooth complexion. His only marks were the three whisker marks on his cheeks and the number on his left arm. His fingernails and toenails were white and rouned, and clean now. His hair was a brilliant blood red that laid flat and straight but flowed back with only some of it laying on the sides of his head, framing his face, he had no bangs, coming down to mid-chest length. His eyes had darkened skin in a thin line around his eyes which made his blue eyes pop and seem so intense.

Body wise, like they had seen before, a very pronounced skeletal structure that could be clearly seen, especially the hands and feet, but also in how wide he was in the shoulders and overall definition. Now that he was standing straight, they could see his musculature was very well developed and defined, which made sense if he was carrying so much weight in metal in his body, with his healing, it was a natural boy response in order to carry all that weight. For clothes, Shizune had picked him simple blacks, zori sandals, loose trousers that tucked into the sandals, a sleeveless shirt, and to be mindful, a black armband that covered his number. The Shirt was tucked so it was pressed against his body showing his muscles underneath, while the arms were exposed.

"My, isn't he something Shizune." She spoke with a grin which Shizune returned with a nod.

"Hai, Tsunade-Sama, he'll have plenty of attention for sure." She agreed and Naruto shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"You look good Naruto. Now come and sit, Shizune just finished making food." She spoke, directing his attention to the fire where freshly cooked food was sitting. The smell of a properly made meal all too inviting as he came closer and took a seat and started eating. It was a pregnant silence between them. But they endured it for the meal in front of them. Afterward, though they all looked to one another.

"Naruto, this isn't going to be easy obviously, but what we found in that seal that I released, specifically who wrote it and what the seals did, will be a shock, to say the least. On top of that, we would like you to tell us everything you can, from your earliest memory you can recall, up to meeting us earlier. No matter how small the detail, and we would like to perform a full physical to see what all has been done to you. We want to help you, but we have to know what has happened to you in order to do that. Can you do that for us?" She asked, getting the boy to nod.

"Alright, you start first Naruto, from the earliest memory, every detail you can recall no matter how small, up to now. After that, we'll do the physical and then tell you what we've learned, alright?" She spoke and he took a breath before he started.

What followed was a childhood of pain and isolation, with only a few bright spots here and there. Mainly the civilians mistreating him in various ways up to beatings and several other forms of physical abuse, not to mention the mental abuse. The Sandaime made occasional appearances for the boy as a positive influence, but the conversations and care he showed were minimal at best for what they saw as obvious abuse. The Hokage would have to be blind not to notice and she was sure her former sensei was not.

The worst part of his recollections is that because of the seals, this was the first time he was experiencing these memories so clearly and in focus without backlash, so they were freshly painful for him to endure again. But he continued on, able to endure it and that made her uneasy for some reason. When he spoke of Kabuto he spoke with a smile and the two women saw that he cared for the medic who saw naruto's paid and actually gave him a chance to make his own decisions for once. Likely he knew his burden and didn't hate him, so gave him the best chance he could, that was the hope they had anyway.

But when talking about his time with Orochimaru, how he was held captive, experimented on, tortured, made to fight and kill, it burned Tsunade to her bones that the snake was so deprived. She should know better, but this was... But listening to his fond memories of a girl he shared his cell with, Tayuya, she was glad he had help. But as he continued to talk, he got quieter, speaking of the transfusions, the seals, the bone claws, how he and Tayuya were made siblings in bond and thanks to Orochimaru, blood.

"Naruto?" Shizune asked when he went silent. He was trembling badly in a way he hadn't yet.

"T-they... made us... fight." He mumbled out, his breathing hitched and labored. "I was waiting for who I was supposed to fight...a-and then the snake bastard tells me she didn't want to fight. They had to use some seals to make her fight. I didn't know who but-" He tried to control his breathing. "They made me fight my sis." He huffed out.

Both women's eyes widened in horror at the implication. "I didn't want to fight...but he forced me. Said if I didn't she was dead anyway. Used the curse seal to put her in pain. I told him I'd fight... I meant to just put on a show, just to satisfy the bastard since he said he couldn't have his soldiers having attachments. I was going to let her have the killing blow on me." He broke, tears trailing down his cheeks. "B-but then she stopped and smiled at me...when I was already moving in with my claws... I watched as the light left her eyes. I-I-I-... I KILLED MY SISTER!" He wailed finally, breaking down into pained wailing sobs, the full realization and pain finally hitting him.

Tsunade moved and pulled the boy into a hug, letting the boy bury his face in her shirt as he sobbed. He held onto her for dear life, rocking back and forth letting him cry it out. This boy was more broken than she was...she felt shame for letting her pain and grief control her when this boy went through so much worse, then there was guilt that her teammates and sensei were responsible, no doubts on her former sensei anymore.

Shizune was rocked as she heard the entire story. She knew the seals likely helped him block out the pain, but to experience so much even then and keep moving. To be forced to kill your own family. She wasn't one to typically let her emotions get the better of her, but she felt anger like she's never known before. Meeting eyes with her master, they spoke in a glance and nodded. They looked back to the boy and allowed him the time to cry it out.

Naruto eventually started to settle, before he went quiet and fell limp. Crying himself to sleep. Picking him up, an effort on her part that made her tap into her super strength, she set the boy down to lay on the ground flat. "Shizune...get the sake." She spoke and Shizune nodded.

Handing her master the bottle, she looked at the boy before biting her lip. "Master, may I-" she was cut off as the bottle was thrust towards her, she took it without question and took a drink before passing it back.

"Let's go on and do the full physical of what we can, he can finish his story after he wakes up. Kami knows after we're done I'm downing the sake by the bottle till we're out." She spoke and her apprentice nodded as they got to physical examination was thorough but non-invasive, just from the examination they did they learned plenty. Thankfully he woke up after an hour and let him finish what little was left of his story, speaking of the rage and haze he woke up to, vague impressions of things until he came to in the woods out of his deeper feral haze, to the state they found him in.

Life story out of the way, they explained about the seals they found on his back and scalp, their intended functions and what that meant in relation to him. "So what you're saying is that since I didn't have a blank period and a before and after from where I had a sporadic change, that the seals were applied since before my earliest memory?" He asked, his pain and anguish being supplemented with new anger and budding rage all his own.

"Actually Naruto, since you know of the fox, we think it may have actually been right after your consecutive birth and the sealing. That 'loyalty' seal is better applied the younger you are... From what we know altogether know, you were given those additional seals by Jiraiya of the sannin...my former teammate and fellow Sannin, Orochimaru also one of the Sannin. And I have no proof, but realistically there's no way my sensei, the third Hokage, couldn't have not known about your abuse, or the fact that Jiraiya had placed more seals on you while so young."

"Naruto... My teammates and own sensei have made your life a living hell... I can't speak for them, nor will I, I can't. I may not have done anything to you personally, but If I had been there then maybe Jiraiya and sensei at least wouldn't have."

"Tsunade," Naruto spoke up, cutting her off. "You have done something to me personally." He told her and the women's eyes widened. "You released the seals, told me the truth, held me... like sis used to. Let me cry... thank you." He said pulling her into a hug. Tsunade was gaping, but she realized that despite everything, he was still a child, in need of someone there for him. She calmed and returned the hug. This feeling was... A few tears left her eyes, they may look different, but she swore it was like Dan and Nawaki were there again.

Her heart hardened at the thought and memories that followed. Konoha. "Naruto, there are some things we have to talk about. They're about your future." Tsunade stated. The boy pulled back and Tsunade sighed then took a breath. "Konoha is still looking for you Naruto, and no matter how hard you and all of us try, they will find you eventually, it's only a matter of time. Now here's the deal, you can try to run and hide, that's one option. You could join a different hidden village, but then Konoha may start problems with them and there's no telling how that village will treat you. Then there's the last option to go back to Konoha, but!" She spoke up before he could protest. "you can go back, on your terms. Realistically thee three are your only choices, and going back on your terms gives you the most control."

"But going back means that they'll be able to do whatever they want with me."

"I know, but hopefully we can come up with a way that they won't be able to."

"We?" Naruto asked.

"I made a decision that, if you wanted, we could take you with us and train you properly in how to look after yourself, fight, and deceive. Make the most use of what the snake did to you. How to survive. But if we do this, the training will be hard, we can't be gentle because Konoha won't be. Understand?" She asked.

"...I think I do... But I can stay with you until they do come right?" He asked and she softened seeing those eyes looking up at her.

"Of course. You won't be rid of us that easily. We already decided to help you, we just wanted to give you the options of how we could help you." She said, making the boy smile. "So I guess option three it is then." She stated and the boy nodded.

"If they're going to find me anyway, I want to have the control, not them." He stated, getting up to full height, he breathed and grunted. "Okay, what the hell. It was never this hard to move before." He stated and Tsunade sighed.

"Bout that. It seems since that experiment that turned your bones into that heavy metal, you've been constantly drawing the fox's chakra, which has been enhancing your abilities to handle the weight of your bones and still be as fast as you were. Something we'll have to do a lot of training for is toning, refining and getting you the muscle strength to move as if your bones weighed the same as everyone else's. Which brings up your other limitations, your fingers."

"What about my fingers?" He asked.

"Try to make a string of hand seals, doesn't matter which," Shizune spoke up. Naruto shrugged and started doing just that, but after the third-hand seal, his fingers started stiffening and then locked and twitched attempting the fifth hand seal.

"That. Because your bones have been enlarged, that also means your fingers are bigger, as are the joints, and tighter ligaments and connective tissue. Your skeleton is essentially an Adult's skeleton structure, only at age 10. Which is good for you."

"How is this good? I just lost most of my ability with Ninjutsu." He growled, showing a short fuse staring to form in his temperament.

"Not lost really, just needing to be adapted. But we can work on that. The reason why it's good, is that while we get stronger the bigger our muscles are biological, in your body, A lot of strength comes from how much of the area of your bones your muscles can be attached to, surface area. In your case, you have more surface area on your bones for your muscles to adhere to carry your weight. If your bones were the same size as they were before, you might not be able to carry your own weight without the fox at all. Understand?" She spoke and the boy paled.

Total reliance on the fox... no thanks. "Fine. Anything else."

"Well, obviously you'll see that this makes you slower, but you have an advantage. seems that your bones weren't the only thing changed by the metal. The iron in your blood has changed to this metal, your nervous system is laced with it, it's essentially lace throughout your entire boy as a part of you, though it's only obvious in your bones. The rest of your body it's bonded in a way that it's not like metal anymore, like adding power drink mix to water. got it?" At his nod, she continued.

"The side effects are quite surprising. Your reflexes are faster and sharper thanks to your nervous system being a super-conductor for your electrical impulses. Your blood can store more oxygen than previously capable, just to name a few. But the best side effect aside from the claws that can't be taken from you is the properties of the metal itself." Tsunade stated.

"What do you mean? It's heavy as fuck, makes me indestructible as far as we can tell and I had to be tortured to get it." He growled and the women looked at each other. Apparently, he inherited this Tayuya's mouth they'd heard from him about. Something to work on.

"Well, the fact that the metal is chakra conductive. Normally the best conductor of chakra is your own body hands down. However, this metal seems to amplify your ability to channel chakra past that limit. This should help in molding and move your chakra around your body faster and more efficiently. Essentially while your body is slower, your reflexes, mind and other abilities are enhanced thanks to the metal despite the limitations it has. Then there's your healing."

"Far as we can tell, your healing doesn't depend on your chakra. It's a function of your biology, your body, now, and it's always on. So you could be with zero chakra and still have that healing factor working for you in your favor. The way it heals you too allows you to recover and enhances your stamina, as well as lets you push yourself and ignore your limits so long as you can take the pain." She stated, getting it out there. "Obviously you noticed the enhanced senses. We still don't know what all you are capable of, but we'kk have t see in training. Understand."

"Yeah... So what now?" He asked.

"Now, we rest. You made your decision and understand it. After we get up we'll leave and start your training." She told him and after the last 24 hours, they could all use the rest honestly. Each took to an area to lay down at, and thought of what lay ahead of them.

 **Review, tell me what you think, drop ideas and suggestions, send me pms of the same or to just aything. I'm open.**


	3. Konoha has come

**So another chapter down. Not too much happened pure content wise this chapter, mainly a brief idea of the two years that was skipped and then the interaction with Jiraiya, Konoha has come for Naruto. But Tsunade and Co. has a plan. This chapter opens up a set up for the chapter to follow. This chapter does solidify a few key details and a nice little reveal.**

 **Let's see reviews.**

 **Some of you want Naruto to develop extra abilities due to the insane kool-aid mix of doom the snake injected him with. Sorry to say but most of those requests will be denied. Only a few minor things may show up, but that's about it. I will say that his blood holds unique potential though.**

 **To the one wanting some illicit taboo love, well I hope what's provided here will help. Leave a review if you're wanting more.**

 **That's about it actually. I need more feedback and criticism so I have an idea of how I'm doing. So drop a review please.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, X-men, or any Marvel media.**

[Two Years Later]

Shizune sighed in relaxation as she walked down the street of town they had arrived in just days before. She couldn't help the sigh even if she wanted to, simply because.. she honestly had so little to worry about now. Picking up her little brother years ago may have been the best thing for Tsunade and herself honestly. Little brother because that's honestly what he grew to be in her heart.

Sure the first half year was a vision of hell, between his nightmares, which had become frequent and extremely vivid in the week following the release of his seals, vivid to the point of night terrors. Pair that with his instinctive reflex to produce his claws and unconsciously hurt himself, the blood would then send Tsunade into hysterics due to her hemophobia. Typically she'd have to snap Tsunade out of her state because she was the only one who had the strength and ability to heal rapidly to get in close enough to calm him.

That had worked as a kind of shock therapy for her master who quickly built up the tolerance to her phobia when it mattered to Naruto, his pain in his nightmares she felt outranked her own and found a way to at least deal with it for him. She felt bad for Naruto, his Nightmares might not be so bad if they hadn't had him describe everything he remembered from day one for them. But in a way it was better, fresh wounds can be cleaned and stitched back together after all the scar after would be small and easier to manage. They helped him through his various traumas, none were easy to deal with as they would be crippling and career-ending to other shinobi in a psych evaluation, unfortunately, Naruto didn't have that luxury.

But in helping him to deal with his issues and the tolerance she built up to blood in relation to Naruto, Naruto actually helped her get past her own issues with blood, though that didn't solve everything. But for Naruto, his biggest trauma was obviously being forced to kill his own sister, a sister he accepted in bond, and made stronger in blood, the first true blood family he had. The two women wanted very dearly to find the Snake's parents and sterilize them both before they ever had him to speak of the things they wished to do to him for what he did to Naruto with just that act, not to mention everything else. His being feral in the wilds was actually therapeutic by comparison, and let him find comfort in nature when he felt the need to be solitary.

His mental trauma and issues aside, after they had established a plan they left the woods and the legend of Kuzuri to that village and headed west. Far, far west, almost to the other end of the continent. Every step of the way they focused on adapting his old training to his new limitations, figured workarounds where needed. His fingers and inability to string hand seals one after another was a loss, but they taught him to learn the way each hand seal molds chakra, memorize it and try to mold chakra the same way without hand seals or between hand seals, since his limit was three, maybe four hand seals before his fingers locked up.

It took a while, but the boy figured out the trick to basically making a 'shorthand' version of Hand seals and chakra molding for jutsu, that he could use for longer strings of Hand seals until he could practice a jutsu and cut down the seals needed, something all shinobi did, but he'd have to shorten it to his shorthand seal and then three physical hand seals and that wasn't easy with any of the stronger jutsu that mattered, though he got the basic jutsu down easily. Still, this wasn't perfect and did limit his ability with ninjutsu, hence why they traveled west.

In the west was a city called the Jade Arena, it was a multi-ringed walled city, but its heart was one of the greatest combat arenas that side of the continent and the reason for their trip there. It was a mass gathering of martial artists, fighters, any and all kinds. The only thing not allowed there was the use of pure nin or gen jutsu. If you could incorporate it into a physical fighting style, it was allowed. It constantly tested the limits of its fighters to keep advancing for the sake of their art and recognition as the best, and if you proved yourself, you became a jade champion, with rights, money, fame in the jade arena, to set up a school of combat, whatever you wanted.

Naruto's claws and indestructible though heavy bones required a taijutsu style nearly custom made for him, what better place than the greatest martial arts arena ever known? They didn't bother trying to go through any of the ranking towers in the ringed districts to get to the central district towers, Tsunade didn't want more Black Soldiers on her because her name would spread easily. They were able to find someone when they started searching for a claw-like weapon style, and soon he was learning the Leaping Tiger style.

He had some problems learning it due to his weight, but proper muscle conditioning and a secondary style of the Iron palm he trained in helped with that. They didn't reveal his claws to anyone there, but they picked up the necessities, grabbed any manuals for the styles and other techniques they could before taking off. They managed to combine both styles, cut out the useless bits he didn't need and then rebuilt it for his needs, renaming it the Mouko-Ken, the Fierce Tiger Fist. It made use of all of his strengths, and covered as many of his weaknesses as possible, though it did have an effect of letting Naruto tap into that... other side of himself, the Kuzuri, if he lost himself in the moment.

The interesting thing though, it wasn't even Tsunade or Shizune that made them their money to live on, that was Naruto. Tsunade had gotten herself into a pickle in gambling one night and Naruto wondered what the big deal was, she had him play her turn, how much worse could she lose? Sure she didn't gamble for money, but the gambling itself. But on that one turn, full stakes, Naruto swept through with a win. Deciding it was dumb luck they tried it again, the same results. They left out of there richer than they left and an idea formed. Play every casino and gambling den they could, take a hearty chunk out of their asses, then skip town.

Shizune had started paying back the debts Tsunade owed and in just eight months, managed to clear her debts, though that didn't stop Kuro no Heishi. The black soldiers hadn't shown up for a while until they came back four months after their first encounter. Needless to say, those fights had been harder, but Naruto's training wasn't for show. They came back a few times more, but the attacks became less frequent after that, but they didn't stop. They cashed in the bounties of those they killed, and between bounties and gambling, each of them had more than healthy finances.

Naruto's training continued, he learned everything they threw at him and more but it didn't seem to matter what, he kept progressing despite any obstacle he hit. Though when they taught him shadow clones, that had taken the training to a new level. But the biggest obstacle was his body, getting strong enough to handle his own weight was a big problem, but constant conditioning and high strain endurance training saw improvement easily.

Chakra control came both difficult and easy. The actual control was harder due to his reserves being so large, but easier since he had no restraining seals limiting his ability to control his chakra. Easy because channeling his chakra was child's play with his amplified ability to do so, harder because it was easy to overload the effects into absurd thanks to that same amplification of his metal-laced body. He had the walking exercise down so they moved on to more difficult ones for him, some only he with his healing could perform.

Roughly the training while difficult, had the desired effect. But the really surprising bit was that overtime Naruto Helped Tsunade heal from her own problems as Naruto dealt with his. Shizune wasn't excluded either as her own, though she felt they were small, issues over losing the last of her family and not having a place to be, was seen to. They had bonded and had a tight connection together, while they were like siblings, Naruto and Tsunade formed a mother-son relationship, which she honestly expected seeing as neither had the other.

The past two years had been quite the adventure if she said so her self, not to even mention some of the trouble they got into during those two years.

"Hello, Shizune."

That voice coming from behind her was familiar, but it etched a deep frown on her lips across her face. She came to a stop and pulled up a smile though as she turned around with Tonton in her arms and gave the man a curious gaze. "Hello, Jiraiya-Sama. What can I do for you?" She asked the Toad Sage.

"...is something wrong? You seemed pretty deep in thought and your smile is a bit strained." The white-haired man spoke, spotting her false smile as is. She internally cursed herself, was her distaste for the man so blatant her usual fake smile crumbled so easily. She frowned and sighed.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." She trailed off and the spymaster nodded, holding up a hand to stop her. It was amazing how using one of Naruto's little tricks to let people make their own assumptions worked.

"I understand Shizune, dealing with her isn't easy, you ever thought of finding a good massage parlor and treating yourself to relieve stress?" He said with a grin. Shizune's brow was twitching violently at the implication but she let it slide.

"Anyway, what can I do for you Jiraiya-Sama?" She asked.

"I'm actually trying to find you two specifically. Or three rather." He corrected and her suspicion was confirmed, time to start the plan.

"Ah, our patient, of course. Follow me." She said, setting down Tonton who ran ahead.

"Patient?" The man asked, his voice a little dubious.

"Yes. We found him two years ago in deplorable condition, we took him with us in order to treat him to the best of our ability." She stated as they followed Tonton who lead the way to her master.

"Describe 'deplorable condition' for me please."

"Well to put it frankly, not fit to be left alone for even 5 minutes." She stated, to give the man an idea, though still vague. "I'm sorry, but I don't wish to describe more in public. Tsunade-Sama will be more than happy to explain more once we reach her."

"Of course... is he okay though?" The man asked it did sound genuine...

"Physically, he's fine. But please, be patient." She advised and he nodded as the pig turned into a restaurant. letting the exiting people out, they then followed and easily spotted a large chested blonde with a mark on her forehead and redhead sitting opposite in a booth staring each other down, Tonton sitting on the floor looking between them both.

"Is that?" The man asked and Shizune nodded.

"yes, our patient, Naruto Uzumaki." She stated, walking over.

"Shizune, you mind taking the brat elsewhere for a little while, my last nerve has been has about had it with him." She muttered through gritted teeth ad a throbbing vein on her forehead.

"Don't have to tell me twice old hag!" The boy spoke out, dodging a swipe from the woman as he slipped out from the booth and walked over to the younger of the two women. Jiraiya could see in clear detail the boy that stood before him now.

He wore a white sleeveless shirt that hugged his form but didn't reveal definition. Blue loose trousers secured by a thick belt with what looked like a blank forehead protector plate for the buckle, polished. The shirt was tucked into the pants, and the ankle of the pants was tucked into high top dark brown zori sandals. The thigh of each leg was bound with white bandages and allowed for a thigh holster to be placed. On his belt he had several pouches, some were just simple scroll holsters. On the back of the belt at a forty-five angle was a simple tanto. On either arm though, the middle of each forearm was a wide, black sweatband. His clothes were clean cut but spoke simplicity, his dress was perfectly symmetrical though.

On the other hand, the clothes did not make him, his own body did. The sleeveless shirt showed off the most defined and pumped arms he'd seen on anyone under 20, which were attached to wide shoulders, muscles building to his neck. The low cut of the neckline showed a fraction of the muscular development of his torso. He was 5'1" easy, and ripped, not ripped for his age, but ripped. But what caught his attention other than that was his face. Crisp and sharp blue eyes ringed by a thin black border of skin around the eyes. Thick whisker marks, long, straight red hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, slightly pronounced canines and subtlely pointed ears.

Most of all though was the red rhombus diamond on his forehead identical in shape to Tsunade's own yin seal. That was a serious matter he'd be discussing with her. The other changes though from the little blonde spiky-haired boy he remembered seeing a few times. Once the boy left with Shizune, it was just Tsunade, the pig and him.

"You here to take him off my hands then?" She asked, raising a hand and calling for Sake. Jiraiya sighed, disappointed in his teammate and her problems that she hadn't handled.

"Depends. It may have been before but Shizune tells me he's your patient. Mind enlightening me about that? And his change from wiry short blonde scrapper to the redheaded feral brick wall with your yin seal." He inclined as he poured themselves two glasses of sake from the bottle that was delivered.

"If you want to talk about the changes done to him, talk to Orochimaru." She spoke making the man choke on his sake.

"O-Orochimaru!?" he spluttered out and she nodded. "How is that possible?"

"He was the one who abducted him, best as we can figure anyway with his memory shot to shit as it is." She stated and Jiraiya sighed.

"I think you need to tell me from the beginning, I can already feel an aneurysm forming." He muttered and Tsunade smirked slightly behind her glass. There was a thought worth looking into.

"Well found the brat two years ago, feral as a wild animal." She started, describing how they found him, how he was aggressive and violent but they recognized his whiskers and eyes and took the time to get through to him. Recounting the boy's struggle for a lucid mind until they disrupted his chakra and found the problem. His chakra and the foxes was intermingling wildly, so they cut him off from the fox in order to stabilize him. After that, he was actually civil and managed to talk, where they discovered naruto's memory was shot.

"How do you know it was Orochimaru then?" Jiraiya asked.

"Because he has flashes of lucid memories, crystal clear. His first memory is being strapped face down to a table with his back exposed as Orochimaru was doing something there. Glimpses he caught of him gave him enough description to match him. As for what he was doing, he said something about unleashing his potential. My guess is he was applying a seal because then he felt a lot of pain, a surge of chakra, and what felt like lightning shooting through his head before he blacked out." She recounted and saw the subtle signs of hidden panic in Jiraiya. Jiraiya did a good job masking his emotions, so for it to be seen here meant something damning for him in her eyes.

"I see..." Jiraiya said, apprehensive of the whole situation now. Did Orochimaru release the seals he placed after his birth? If he did that wasn't good... but then why was the boy's memory shot? "What else can you tell me?" He asked, deciding he needed more information.

"Well not too much, at least from the brats perspective. He was Heavily traumatized and the mental damage is creating a block to the traumatic memories. Most of the things he clearly remembers are the better parts of his life, lucky little brat. But the worse memories come in nightmares. what he does recall is forced to train in a cell, fight for his life against other prisoners, a girl who he shared his cell with that helped him, though she vanished from his memories somewhere along the way, more than likely killed or died during his time there, and whenever he wasn't in his cell or forced to fight, he woke up strapped to a table. However..."

"However?"

"He does recall one event clearly, where he was strapped to an altar, lots of writing all around him, seals no doubt, a lot of cable of wires attached to him, and many people all around, Orochimaru directing them. I think this may have been his big traumatic experience that damaged his mind since he recalls it so clearly before he literally describes every single sensation of pain he experienced before he blacks out. His next flash of memory after that is in the woods, where according to locals, signs of a feral animal had shown up five months earlier, that'd be Naruto. See as we found him alone, he spent the five months alone and feral."

"...Fuck. What kind of Hard on did the teme have for him to go through all the trouble?" He asked.

"Can't tell ya, nor do I even want to think of it since you phrased it that way ya sick fuck." He winced at that one and didn't deny that he worded that one epically bad. "What I can tell ya is what's been done to him, how I treated him and pretty much my professional opinion of how to proceed from here on."

"Hang on, you said something about a seal on his back, that you think Orochi-teme put there. Was there?" He asked.

"No, the only seals on him are the fox, the one on his arm and the one I placed." She stated.

"His arm?" He asked he didn't see anything on his arm...but then remembered his forearm sweatbands.

"Orochimaru intended to keep him. He marked him with a subject number on the underside of his left arm. S-317300. He tattooed it then sealed it into the skin. I haven't been able to remove it and he's extremely self-conscious about it since it makes him feel like property, so don't bring it up." She snarled, pointing at the man who raised his hands to placate her.

"Anyway, I'm not a fan of repeating myself so here." She dug into a bag by her and pulled out a small tied off the journal. "My total analysis, diagnosis, treatments thus far on his being. Take that to sensei when you take him with you."

"You want to get rid of him?" Jiraiya asked.

"... He's a good kid, but he brings up too many memories." She stated and took a drink, making the toad sage frown.

"Fair enough I suppose." He spoke more to himself. "Mind giving me some cliff notes on his condition and the seal you put on him then?" he asked.

"Tch, fine." She took another drink and sighed. "Essentially, the healing factor he had as an Uzumaki and the fox's container has been amplified and altered. It's a function of his biology independent of his chakra and near instant. His entire skeleton has been transformed into an indestructible metal alloy that makes him weigh, at current 513 lbs, hence why he has so much muscle mass just to carry his own weight." She said and smirked like the cat that ate the canary when she saw him gaping.

"I haven't even told you the kicker yet. Whatever Orochimaru did, it fucked up his and the fox's chakra that it destabilized and fluctuated wildly. So I had to redesign my yin seal to create essentially a skin-deep Fuinjutsu based chakra network that coincides with his own internal chakra network, that's connected with the fox seal. The fox's raw chakra that originally leaked out into his own chakra now flows through the Sub-dermal chakra network before it flows back into the seal to be properly absorbed into his coils like it was intended, though I added a ringed regulator seal around the fox's seal to make sure the flow stays constant and doesn't fluctuate."

"Was the seal damaged?" He asked seriously.

"Far as I can tell, no. It was almost as if his body rejected absorbing the fox's chakra raw, and kept trying to force it out, hence the fluctuations. the sub-dermal chakra network has tenketsu points coinciding overtop each of his own, where the fox's chakra is treated with his own chakra as it flows through each tenketsu point. Once it makes a full cycle, it's treated enough that his body doesn't reject it. The seal on his forehead is just the central matrix of it all, which since it's the fox's chakra, is also why it's red."

"I see. That's good, I was afraid we'd have problems with the seal if Orochi-teme fucked with it... but still, I can't help but want to know why. What was his end game? It sounds like he was trying to make the ultimate weapon to just turn loose." He remarked and Tsunade's eye twitched.

'If only you knew you two-faced lying fucking bastard.' She scowled before she took another drink. "Who knows. We're probably better off not knowing. However, the seal both helps him and hurts him a bit."

"How so?"

"The fox's chakra is volatile, because it's circulated skin deep now, nothing organic can leave his body without being fried by the chakra."

"...You mean?"

"Unless his body can adapt and not reject the chakra anymore, he'll never be able to have kids since the genetic material will be burned out by the chakra before it can even make it's way to a fertile egg. Same goes for his blood. He's become dependent on the seal now and responds like a proper chakra network now, his body will even heal it with no lasting damage done."

"On the upside though, the fox's chakra is treated in a safer way before it reaches his coils, allowing him to absorb it more efficiently at a constant rate, which is consistently growing his reserves. His control is steadier now thanks to it, and he can draw on its chakra for a boost should the need arise by accessing it."

"I suppose that's not a bad trade-off."

"Well, there is one more thing." She leads on. "Kid has every shinobi's desire. A weapon that can't be taken from him."

"Um...okay. How?" He asked.

"The snake apparently did something else, now the brat has three double-edged razor-sharp blades in each arm that extend out from his hands. Never break, never need to be sharpened." She revealed.

"Bull shit." He called out immediately.

"See for yourself when he comes back. Aside from that, everything else is in the journal there. My jobs over."

"You said his memory is shot to shit. Does he remember much about Konoha?"

"Oh for fuck' sakes. Yes, some. He has some memories, then he has vague impressions, and then there are just flashes of memories and past that it's his dreams. As for what exactly he remembers, just fucking watch him when you get back and see for yourself."

"Damn Hime. The hell is wrong with you?" He asked and she sighed. "I mean damn, you normally tear my head off as is, but you're especially verbal about it this time."

"...Brat and I were arguing about some shit from the past." She informed. 'If only you knew how much I wanted to tear off your fucking balls and feed them to you.'

"That explains the drinking. Well, let's go find the kid," he spoke, getting up and setting some money down on the bill.

Leaving their table they walked off, the pig once again leading the way.

[Shizune and Naruto]

"So it's finally time huh?" He spoke as they got out onto the street.

"Yes, it is. You remember the cover story. You're an in and out of it Amnesiac with trauma blocking your memories and vague knowledge of things from before we found you."

"Yes, I get that much. Not like there's much about Konoha that's worth to remember anyway." He stated. "Did we have to be so transparent about my condition, abilities, and all that to him and Hiruz-...the old man." He corrected himself, having to get used to calling him that again, as much as it felt like sandpaper on his tongue.

"Tsunade thinks it's best, it's informative, gives them clearly defined lines to operate in and prevents them from testing to see what they can and can't do with you. Thankfully your Yang seal will prevent them from applying more seals to you, or be taking your blood or even sperm against your will. You're free from that level of manipulation. Now you just have to be smart about how you behave in Konoha."

"What? Like a savage animalistic psychopath?" He asked and she smacked the back of his head.

"Just the usual brutal savage please."

"Awww, that's no fun." He whined before they broke into light laughter.

"Just do what comes naturally while playing up your 'condition'. The reality is thankfully not so far off from the cover story to matter. Be transparent enough with your superiors to not raise questions." She spoke and he sighed, getting her attention.

"There's going to be at least a few that push me to the edge and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to resist it." He spoke, genuinely a little worried.

"Well then ask yourself if they really deserve it then. There are some people out there that respond better to facing the animal than they do the man." Shizune spoke, speaking of the feral instincts he still carried.

"I know. I just don't want someone that doesn't deserve it to be in the crossfire if I do snap." He voiced and she nodded.

"I can't speak much for it, just do the best you can okay. You're my little brother, I love you and so does Tsuna. But we can't be there to help you all the time. Time to see how you do on your own. Do as little as you'll regret after the fact. alright?"

"...Yeah, I'll do what I can." He said and she pulled him into a hug.

"Next time I see you, you're going to be taller than me and wider than a door." She teased and he chuckled.

"Maybe. Let's get some food. I want a good meal with my sis before I have to leave." They turned to a roadside stand and took a seat to get some good food. The stool he sat on though groaned a bit, but supported him. "Next time you see me I might need a custom chair." He spoke and she giggled.

"Ever think of going on a diet?" She asked only to get a hard metal finger poke in the side for her trouble. "Kidding, come on let's eat."

"Hey there. two orders Lamb gyoza please."

"Local favorite please," Shizune asked.

"Coming up!" The stand owner said, getting the food prepared and into the fryer. Their wait wasn't too long and they started to eat the meal. It was a quiet meal, but they enjoyed it a bit, picking at each other's food with their chopsticks just like siblings. They calmed to eat and enjoy until two guys came up behind Shizune, their intent obvious and they smelled like suffocating cologne.

"Excuse me I'm Hiro Takeda~"

"Daichi Tokamaru~"

"Go fuck yourselves. I'm trying to eat." Naruto picked up immediately as he ate another of his lamb dumplings, pulling a bit of ginger and onion onto it and to his mouth.

"Mind fucking off? Ya know, trying to show the lady a good time." One of the two said while Shizune was a bit uncomfortable with the situation.

"Ya know sis. It amazes me just how stupid people are, especially to ignore their own senses." He commented and Shizune sighed.

"Just don't kill them." She spoke, returning to her meal as Naruto ate another dumpling before getting up.

"Heh, fucked with the wrong people friend. We're from shinobi families." The one called Daichi said.

"Oh! Okay then. Means I don't have to be gentle right?" He asked before stepping forward, driving a crushing fist into his stomach, grabbing his shirt and pulling him int a headbutt, dropping him out cold. "Well, maybe I should."

"You Son of a Bitch! Come here!" The other hollered pulling a kunai and rushing Naruto. Naruto rolled his eyes, backhanded the hand of his attacker, sending the kunai to the ground, before twisting his feet slightly and two quick punches dislocated his elbow and shoulder. The left hand grabbed his wrist, twisted, overstretching the ligaments and then a right back fist to his face knocked him out.

Naruto just shook his head, grabbed them both and tossed them into a nearby alley, before sitting back down on his stool to keep eating.

[Jiraiya and Tsunade]

"Not too bad eh?" Tsunade asked.

"Not bad, then again they were just punks. I'll withhold judgment once he's fought more serious opponents." He stated and she rolled her eyes.

'Should see him fight Kuro no Heishi then.' She thought. "Whatever. Normally he's lucid and placid like this, not too bad. But he does have a short fuse if he' pushed." She stated and looked up to the sky. "So, are you taking him or not? As it stands he's just wandering with us. He's stable enough to be on his own, he just prefers staying with us for now."

"Yeah, I'll take him. There are some people back in Konoha who miss him dearly."

'Oh, I'm sure.' She thought sarcastically. "Alright then, go introduce yourself I guess."

[Shizune and Naruto]

His ears quirked ever so slightly and he grimaced. "He's going on and taking me. This is going to be hard."

"Just remember, do what comes naturally and you'll do fine."

"I will sis. More then likely he'll want us to head off immediately. If I don't get a chance, give mom a hug, kiss and love ya from me alright?" He asked with a grin which got him a hard punch to his neck while the sannin was looking away. "Ack! Fuck! Muh neck!? Why..."

"To put it into your words."You open your mouth but all I hear is bullshit" I believe is something you'd say." She spoke and he snickered.

"Kinda sounds like me." He smirked cheekily before he frowned and looked at his food. "Seriously, I will miss the two of you."

"I know. We love you too and will miss you. But this is how it has to be for a while. For now just look after yourself and do what you can to better yourself alright."

"I will, no worries." He said before he went silent and assumed a more serious expression, Shizune doing the same as they finished their meal.

"Well, you going to introduce yourself or what?" Naruto asked irritably.

"No offense, last persons who did that while your back was turned just got their face and arm rearranged." The older man stated and Naruto sighed, paying for their meal and turning around.

"Well?" He asked.

"My name is Jiraiya, Sage of the Mountain Toads, one of the three Sannin of Konoha." Jiraiya Introduced himself.

"Hmm, so I finally meet the last of the Sannin then." He said and saw the man flinch ever so slightly. "Well for what it's worth. Name's Naruto Uzumaki, Escaped experiment, Jinchuuriki." He sated and saw the man's eyes widen.

"H-how do you know?" He asked.

"I might not have all my memories, but I have enough to piece things together especially when shit happens to my chakra that shouldn't happen. Put together the fact when I was born and what happened that day, plus seeing other villages, hearing people talk, you tend to get enough puzzle pieces to see enough of the picture." He said.

"I see...well, I guess since we're all introduced, Its midday, we can get going if you're packed."

"In a hurry to leave?" He asked, standing up.

"Yes actually, I have a lot of duties to Konoha, so the faster I can get you back and with Sensei, the faster I can return to those duties." He stated, and Naruto sighed.

"Alright. Take care Shizune, tell Tsunade I'll see her around some time or another I guess." He said.

"I will Naruto, but you know how she is. Take care of yourself, you've worked hard to get where you are."

"I will. See ya." He said and walked off with the Toad Sage leading.

Shizune waited for a good five minutes before she stood and left for their hotel.

[Hotel room]

Shizune walked in and heard wretching from the bathroom and sighed. "Was it really necessary to hit the sake so heavily just to sell it Tsuna?" Shizune asked looking in in the bathroom.

"Had to, he knows what I was like before. If I didn't he'd know something was wrong." She spoke as she gasped for air while she kneeled in front of the toilet.

"A shame too, you've been sober for six months so far," Shizune commented.

"Don't remind me. I feel sick enough as is." She heaved again before she got to her feet a little wobbly but otherwise fine.

"Naruto Told me to give you a hug, kiss and love ya since he couldn't do it himself." Shizune idly mused.

"Well then come here," Tsunade said with a little grin.

"Like hell, I'm tasting vomit Tsuna. Wash up and if you don't smell like a brewery then maybe." She said, poking Tsunade in the chest.

"Why is it the ones that love me and manage to stick around are the ones that are mean to me." The buzzed Tsunade whined as she turned on the shower.

"Love you too Tsuna. Don't forget to brush your teeth or nothing for you." Shizune called out from the other room, Tsunade just grumbled to herself.

"My distant cousin becomes my son while my apprentice and niece of my former lover became my current lover and both get a mouth to them. It's karma right?" She asked looking up at the bathroom ceiling as though Kami would give her an answer. "...That sounds a lot worse when said out loud..."

[Naruto and Jiraiya]

They were pretty silent at first, for the most part, seeing as they literally had nothing to talk about that didn't involve something touchy or possibly anger-inducing. So it was pretty much summed up to stay quiet as they tree-hopped back to Konoha to save themselves some time. However he Noticed the limbs Naruto hopped from bent hard, some creaking and he swore a few may have more than just a few cracks in them.

Ultimately, they stayed silent throughout the trip, he couldn't think of anything and his mind was still reeling from the fact that Naruto had been experimented on by his teammate, changed so much, knew his burden. He just felt thankful for small miracles right now given the situation

It took a few hard hours of travel to do it but the walls soon came into view.

"Finally. Home." Jiraiya said, looking at the city fondly. Naruto didn't have the same look in his eyes but he kept moving forward, they hopped down to the road to walk it from there on. "Some people will be surprised seeing you again. The ramen stand father Daughter, the Ichiraku's I think really missed you. Not to mention the old man." Jiraiya now tried to strike up a conversation.

"...I remember a little bit. I ate a lot of ramens... Went to go see the Hokage a lot, right?" He asked and Jiraiya sighed.

"Yes, you did. You might remember more when you see them." He directed as they walked to the Gates. They checked in at the booth, sighing in, though the guards on duty eye's widened at the name and looked back to the boy before whispering something to his partner.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, his sensitive ears picking it up, but he didn't comment. He focused on his senses more, really expanding his spatial awareness and got a good picture of someone rushing along rooftops toward their location. Two...one branched off and went back to the gate, while the other came to them. relaxing, flexing his fingers, he took a breath and readied himself for anything.

What he didn't expect was for the person to jump from the building, draw a sword and use his fall to attempt to drive his sword into Naruto's skull. Attempt to anyway. He backstepped enough to evade the blade an then stepped in, grabbed the man's had and bashed it into the wall next to him, 3 times before he let him drop like a stone. Grabbing his sword he smashed it against the wall and threw it on top of his unconscious body.

Jiraiya just blinked at the sight, though Naruto turned to him with a quirked eyebrow. "Why the hell are they attacking me? And why'd it feel familiar?" He asked and Jiraiya was sweating a little bit now at those questions. Okay so he didn't remember the abuse, he would have liked to call that good... except this just maybe shot that out of the water. The entire street was silent as they stared at the scene, the buff pre-teen having just smashed a Chunnin's head into a wall so easily.

"Couldn't really tell ya why it felt familiar kid, but as for the attack, your guess is as good as mine since you knocked him out. But did you have to smash his head in like that?" He asked.

"Why shouldn't I? He attacked me I returned in favor, self-defense. Should count himself lucky I didn't kill him for trying to kill me like he was obviously intending. Wouldn't be the first time." He voiced, taking in some of the stunned reactions in his peripheral. The demon was back, and it would fight back, even kill. He wanted to smirk, to show he knew them, saw them. But that wouldn't do, not yet.

"Right..." He spoke, seeing a pair of anbu drop down. "Take him in for an attempted assassination on a returning Konoha citizen," Jiraiya ordered the Anbu who nodded, however, Naruto spoke up.

"Neko and... Ryu, right?" He asked looking at the Anbu, both nodded, however, Ryu's shoulders seemed to lurch and shake a few times in succession before they stopped. "I think you two used to...chase me, didn't you?" He asked.

They both looked at the boy, then really looked at him and noticed the changes, but what stayed the same. "Uzumaki?" Neko asked, a woman with long purple hair. He nodded in response. "Yes, we did. Us and several others, usually after one of your pranks." She stated but wondered why he even asked.

"Pranks huh?" He mused, thinking, while he put it off as trying to remember, he was visiting a few past favorites. "To get anbu to chase after me... They weren't bad were they?" He asked.

"No Uzumaki, you weren't bad, just a boy having his fun... though I will admit you did go to extremes for it, often enough in your pranks. Had many of the shinobi force chasing you until we lost you." Ryu stated, followed by the silent shoulder motions. Naruto looked at him, he had jaw-length brown hair that was fixed with a bandanna behind his mask.

"I see...Maybe I can talk to you again sometime later, tell me about some of the pranks I used to do." He stated, bowing his head slightly to the Anbu and moving past them to join Jiraiya. With that conversation establishing his memory loss and that it truly was him. Naruto sighed, not like having to do this, but if anyone in power in Konoha, namely Jiraiya and Hiruzen suspected he remembered his abuse or anything damning towards them in any way, there's no telling what may happen.

Sure his Yang seal, the second chakra pathway system in the soft tissues of his skin, prevented his DNA from being forcefully harvested or new seals being applied to him thanks to it being fuinjutsu based so seal interaction and Kyuubi chakra would burn new seals. His healing could recover from near any injury, while his metal skeleton, he really neede to name it, made him practically indestructible, though some of his limits still hadn't been explored, and he'd always have weapons with him. But this was Jiraiya of the Sannin and Hiruzen Sarutobi, two of the most ower shinobi alive today, he couldn't afford mistakes.

His internal musings went off as they walked the street, regardless of who they passed. Eventually, they came to the Hokage tower and entered, ascending the stairs, which creaked and moaned slightly under his weight. The white-haired man looked at him and he just shrugged before they continued on up. Jiraiya knocked on a door on the top floor once they reached it.

"Enter."

"Hey there Old man, you won't believe who I've found."

[Hiruzen]

The man sighed as he ran through his paperwork for the day, it was a never-ending process and one he felt he'd die off before he saw an end in sight. Normally it wasn't so bad until about four years ago when it all changed for him.

Naruto had been abducted. That was the story, but very few knew he'd left of his own choice, something that should have been impossible. If the public knew he left of his own choice, then as a civilian they couldn't chase him. So the note which had both pained him and infuriated him had been destroyed and the search made, which continued to this day.

The boy was a bright light in his day to break the monotony, but he was also a resource, one he reminded himself would stay loyal...or should of. That was part of the reason why he did believe he was abducted. The seals on his body should have blocked out the thought of him leaving Konoha at all, so what had happened?

A knock on his door silenced the rest of his thoughts. "Enter" He called gruffly and found his, admittedly surprising, more successful student coming in.

"Hey there Old man, you won't believe who I've found."

"Oh? And who would that be?" The Hokage mused, judging by his tone this was to be a lighthearted visit, not a serious meeting. Turning is attention to the door, he saw a pre-teen, a young man he would have thought by his height and intense musculature, but he saw the signs of youth about his being. Long red hair in a low neck ponytail pulled back, red diamond mark on his forehead, white shirt, black forearm sweatbands, blue pants, brown zori sandals.

But the intense blue eyes and whisker marks caught him. Those you couldn't miss. "Naruto?"

"Hey...Jiji? If it's okay I can still call you that?" He asked and the Hokage was baffled. This was Naruto? He had changed so much... he then registered his question and nodded.

"Of course you can Naruto. Why wouldn't you be?" He asked, looking at Jiraiya who shook his head. He'd explain it later.

"Well, Tsunade and Shizune say I need to be respectful to others, But some of the things I remember is always calling you Jiji." He spoke, and he could hear the genuineness of his words, but the words and how they were said caught his attention.

"Please, keep calling me that. But what do you mean what you remember?" He asked, and saw the boy shift from one foot to the other uncomfortably, his right hand idly grabbing the left forearm, right around the sweatband.

"I... don't remember a lot of things. I have a hard time remembering things from before two years ago when Tsunade and Shizune found me." He spoke and the old man was now having a better idea. So he really was abducted. But by who.

"Naruto, I'll take over explaining things to him from here. For now," Jiraiya spoke, making a shadow clone, while the original opened the door. "Let's go and get you something to eat, I know there are two people who would love to meet you after four years." The Sannin spoke and Naruto nodded, following the original out. Once they were gone, Hiruzen turned to the clone.

"Explain." He ordered and the clone sighed, waiting until the privacy seals went up.

"We were right, he was abducted, the seals did hold. But from the accounts I gathered, he was abducted by Orochimaru." He started off with, seeing Hiruzen's eyes widening. "Naruto doesn't remember much, but one of the clearer memories is being strapped face first to table. From the description, it sounds like he was tampering with the seals on his back and head before he released them."

"Why do you think he tampered with them?" He asked.

"Because of his spotty memory. From what was described, it sounds like the memory functions of the seal may have damaged something in his brain as it was released. Combine that with some form of the intense trauma he suffered under the snake, it blocked out other memories," He spoke before taking out a small journal and opening it up, handing it over.

"Tsunade and Shizune found him in the wilds two years ago, feral, the Kyuubi's chakra wildly fluctuating, and violent. They subdued him, cut off the fox's chakra and manage to get through to him. After they got enough out of him, they took him in as a patient to treat him." He reported and Hiruzen started to read the journal that Tsunade wrote on Naruto's condition, changes and treatment.

"I see... Well, that answers why she didn't bring him back. Let's see..." He continued to read while the clone stayed silent. After a while the old man sighed, closing the book. "This is troublesome." The old man spoke and Jiraiya nodded. "So there's no chance of reapplying those seals?"

"None. With the 'yang seal' in place and functioning as it is, it's impossible. I think we should consider ourselves lucky that his memory is fragmented the way it is. But that means the village itself will have to change to accommodate and no incidents like what happened when we got here."

"What do you mean?" He asked, his focus sharpened now.

"One of the gate guards informed someone he was back and someone followed and attacked Naruto, broad daylight with a descending blade maneuver. Naruto somehow sensed it, reacted out of reflex to avoid and then grabbed his head which he smashed into the adjacent wall three times to knock him out. However, he didn't put much effort into the move and his reaction was fluid. Showing that he's comfortable in combat, especially to overtake a Chunnin so swiftly and easily despite the circumstances."

"I'll make sure the man is executed and the guards exchanged... He's not afraid to defend himself, but if they keep attacking him, they may trigger some of his repressed memories, and then we'll have a serious problem on our hands, given all his changes." He stated and his student nodded. "So I'm guessing he's aware of his burden?"

"Yes. He figured it out for himself thanks to some intact memories, his increased reasoning no doubt to the release of the seals, and external influences such as overheard conversations about the other villages."

"Ths is a mess. On the positive though, Konoha has its Jinchuuriki back, who has new abilities, a veritably indestructible shinobi that can heal his own damage and draw on the Kyuubi's power. However, those same changes are Isolated from being passed down or replicated by us and we can't control him with seals correct?" He asked and Jiraiya nodded.

The old man was quiet a while before he reached into his desk and grabbed a few documents, filling out the required areas before stamping them.

"These are housing, emergency fund allotment, and academy papers. Drop these off with my secretary and a threat to ensure they are properly filed. I want Naruto in a good, furnished apartment with money in his pocket before the night is over and at the academy tomorrow. Graduation is in a few weeks and I want him to graduate. Before you leave ensure he'll be there and test him on his basic skills and then inform me of any accommodations to be made. We're not losing him a second time."

"Will do sensei."

"And Jiraiya one last thing... Tsunade herself. How is she?" He asked. "Do you believe we should try to bring her back?"

"...Honestly sensei. She was bad. Maybe worse due to Naruto. He reminded her of Nawaki no doubt. But as for bringing her back, I'm not sure she could remain objective where Naruto is involved. Despite how she was around him, you could see an emotional attachment." He remarked and Hiruzen sighed.

"I see... Alright. Tell Naruto after you test him as far as his abilities go, he can reveal them publically at his discretion now that I'm aware, nor is he required by anyone except me to talk about any of his past experiences or memories he does have. We need to paint ourselves in as positive a light in his mind as ?"

"Crystal. Take care sensei." The clone spoke as he left the room with the papers, leaving the old man to his work.

"You continue to cause me no shortage of stress do you Orochimaru."

[Ichirakus]

The meeting of the Ichiraku's was quite a sight. They were bewildered with the change in there long time favorite customer, and though they found his memory loss saddening, they were thankful for it in a way. He didn't have to remember his abuses anymore. They knew the abuse, but as civilians, they could do nothing about it. However, they wouldn't have to worry about that as news had already spread of his self-defense when he entered the village. Teuchi congratulated him on the move, though Ayame was practically gushing over him and the young man he was growing up in to already.

"Still Naruto, I can't believe how much you've changed. Especially these!" She commented, reaching across the counter and tapping on his muscled arm. "Your arms are like steel now! How'd you pack on so much muscle?" She commented and Teuchi was also curious. Normally such mass was something only civilian laborers got who didn't use chakra, shinobi could use enhancement and thus had no need for large muscles. He had a build similar to Naruto's before he settled down in Konoha.

"Lots of hard training. The person who trained me said I needed to be strong and using enhancement all the time is a hassle, so I trained hard to pack on the muscle." He stated as he enjoyed his third bowl of ramen. While his memories may be shot, they were glad to see his appetite remember Ichirakus. He only had vague recollections of them, but he said they felt warm, so they took what they could get. Just meant they had to make new memories.

Jiraiya who remained silent felt a tap and turned to see his clone holding a small zip bag. Taking it the clone dispelled and he got the memories. Sighing he tapped Naruto's shoulder.

"Alright Naruto, the old man got everything he needed from my clone. I got money for you and keys to your new apartment. Your old one was rented out it seems. He also has you signed back to the academy to start tomorrow. I'll be testing your basic skills, if Hime's training is still any good then you should be more than ready to pass Academy standards, no problem." He stated and Naruto nodded, finishing his third bowl.

"It's been wonderful to see you again Naruto," Ayame said, coming around the counter and pulling the boy into a hug. Naruto was glad Ayame and Teuchi missed him so much, and it sucked he had to lie to them, but this was for his own safety. He returned the hug and breathed in her scent. Freshly mixed dough stood out on her than any other ramen scent, while her personal scent reminded him of a floral perfume, homemade.

"Indeed my boy. Come by often ya hear. We've been missing our favorite cus... no, our favorite person. Got that?" He amended and Naruto felt his heart swell a little, especially as Ayame nodded.

"Ya, I hear ya. I'll come when I can. But Tsunade will beat my head in if she finds out I'm eating nothing but ramen though."

"Well, it's not as if that's the only thing on the menu. You came back and see. Take care Naruto." The old man called out and Ayame waved as they left.

Leaving the stand he sighed and rolled his shoulders, something he did often, as he walked with the Sannin. "You do that because of your metal bones?" He asked.

"Yeah. I carry my weight naturally but it's still heavy as fuck. Tsunade says I'll likely weigh upwards of 800 lbs as a full-grown adult. So I have a strength training ahead of me. Which, by the way, is there a gym around here? I mean a good gym with lots of heavyweights? I usually prefer calisthenics but more often than not I have to work specific muscle groups that some of my workouts don't get."

"Yeah, though it's mostly used by the shinobi in rehab, so it's close to the hospital. Here's the address." He spoke, writing it down on a slip of paper and handing it to him, along with the zip bag. "Now come on, I'm going to test you out at a training ground." They leaped from the street to the rooftops and took off from there, the boy easily keeping pace.

[Training Ground 98]

Stopping at the open area he nodded, this would do. It was probably the widest open training ground there was with no obstructions anywhere.

"Alright, Naruto. First, we'll start with the Academy basics. Kawarimi, Henge, and Bunshin. Kawarimi first please." He asked and the boy followed through, replacing with a long before replacing back, using only a single-handed ram hand seal.

"Not bad, you mastered it that much. what about Henge and Bunshin though?" He asked and then saw him make the same single-handed half ram hand seal. A puff of smoke and he saw a perfect copy of Tsunade before him. He walked around a moment and nodded. "Good so far, and the last one?"

The boy made the same seal again before 10 puffs of smoke showed 10 Tsunade's. A quick analysis showed him something though.

"Shadow clones?"

"Yes, my reserves are just way to big for me to properly perform the simple Bunshin. So they taught me Shadow clones instead."

"That's good then. Let's see what else you can do then." He spoke, pointing two a few trees and Naruto produced kunai and shuriken that he threw to hit in a straight vertical line. Getting a nod, they worked on the other basics the practicals would no doubt test him for. The last thing though was Taijutsu.

"Alright, Naruto. Taijutsu is last. Tsunade informed me of all your changes, no doubt Taijutsu is your focus. We'll start without the claws, then you can bring them out later, alright?" He got a nod and then he breathed, taking a stance and eyeing the boy.

He took a closed fist posture, arms held in front of him in a generic academy stance, though his feet were a bit wider ad his core closer to the ground. Jiraiya breathed and then closed in on the boy, intending to bring in a kick to his head, but the boy's reaction time was amazing as he brought up his arm to block, turning his arm where the muscle was thinnest. He felt pain at the impact and drew back. Right, metal bones, hard as hell when you hit it.

"You got a damn solid defense with those bones." He commented and stood, standing completely still.

"Thanks. Tsunade's a bit jealous of it, though thanks to that she had to be my training partner since I usually shrug off anything else easily." He smirked, just a little smug.

"So I noticed. Which is why I'm doing this." He stated and breathed as he rushed with new speed and bashed his fist into Naruto's face, sending him flying across the training field. Naruto hit the ground and rolled back onto his feet, blinking away a few stars before looking up to see the man's face changed a little.

"Had to ramp t up a bit to overcome that hard head of yours. You don't mind right?" He asked with a smirk while Naruto just returned it.

"Not at all. Just don't bite off more than you can chew!" He shouted as he rushed ahead, channeling his chakra to his muscles for a burst of speed and closed in on the sage. He brought in a fist for the man's face which he blocked with his arm, but he found the arm didn't break. That was new. He didn't let up though as he laid on the offense at the older man. The man just kept blocking before he grabbed Naruto and slammed him onto the ground several times before throwing him into a few trees.

Naruto sailed before he hit the trees and crashed into them, hitting the ground, he huffed and got to his feet. Walking back out onto the field, he looked to his right arm where a large chunk of wood was and grabbed it before ripping it out. The skin began to close, while little slivers were pushed out easily. Cracking his neck a few times, he smiled.

"Round two." He spoke, extending out the three black claws, the blades just a little shorter than his forearms were. The smile turned into a predatory smirk, taking a lower stance with the claws held forward, left out further, right held back just before the face. The claws had a malevolent gleam in the fading light of the day, and from what he heard about them and their sharpness, he didn't fancy testing it with his body.

The boy rushed him and he started dodging him or pushing the claws away by his arms, staying away from the claws itself. But, when he went to go return an attack, he retreated the limb when he used his claws to block instead. "Cheeky brat." He muttered before he kicked his stomach, hard, lifting him off the ground with the force. The kid landed but didn't let it phase him as he gave chase, using powerful leaps to close the distance to attempt to cut him.

"Enough." He spoke, letting his changes drop and he sighed. "Well, that last one was just for a bit of fun. I think you'll do just fine. Head on to your apartment, the address is in the Zip bag. I have to go now. You take care of yourself, alright kid?" he spoke and he nodded.

"Yeah, I got it. Take it easy." He turned and left after that one and the sage waited till he was out of earshot before he rubbed his hands and arms up and down.

"Fucking ow!" He cursed, gritting his teeth as he tried to rub away the pain. "Damn kids going to be unstoppable one of these days. Doesn't have the skill to compete with Jonin yet, but fuck! His bones and healing just lets him take the abuse to stay I the fight regardless, not even a full senjutsu powered punch can knock him out." He muttered. Once his arms were okay he grumbled as he left the field.

[Naruto]

Eyes closed, he smirked as he heard Jiraiya talking to himself. Enhanced hearing really was something that was so damn useful, he didn't see why more shinobi didn't try to acquire enhanced senses. Following the address he was given, he followed it to one of the nicer neighborhoods and found his apartment on the upper floors. Unlocking it, he stepped in and found that it was actually a pretty good apartment, better than his old one.

It had all the amenities he didn't have when he was on the road or things his rundown crappy old apartment just didn't have. It was already furnished with some pretty good stuff. A self-tour around the place showed their was everything really, not just fully furnished, but fully stocked too. Setting his stuff down in the bedroom, storage scrolls for now, then taking off his dirty clothes, he threw them down the corner, letting his hair loose, he walked back to his kitchen for a drink.

'So Mom was right. When they figured out they couldn't seal me again they're trying to kiss my ass hoping my "lost memories" don't resurface and to put them in a good outlook. Too bad for them I know better.' He thought as he went back to his new living room with a can of drink, opening it and taking a swig as he thought about things now.

'They're probably observing me right now... most likely a few listening devices or seals in this apartment and at least one Anbu outside. Which means I can't discuss or do anything here that I don't want them to know... Then again... ' That thought trailed off as he looked down at his body and smirked. 'I ain't exactly no shy kid, and I was getting checked out a few times.' He smirked at that line of thought but sighed as he got back to his thoughts.

Taking a seat in one of the chairs, a short back leather chair comfortable arms, he sighed into the seat and breathed as the silence echoed throughout the apartment. 'I've got to report to the academy tomorrow morning. That ought to be interesting. I don't really know anyone there so faking memory loss won't be hard, Problem is gonna be is if they kept their impression of me from the few days I was there when I first attended if so, I'll probably have a few heads to crack.'

That thought was accentuated with the snikting sound of his right-hand claws unsheathing themselves of their muscle scabbard. Looking at the double-edged black blades, he breathed and sighed, retracting his claws.

'Mom said to keep an open mind about the others my age. Some of them might not have been tainted, so I can have a few allies, maybe even a friend or two if I play my cards right. But I have to remember I'm an amnesiac, I can't even know the faintest idea about them personally.' He stopped and chuckled slightly. 'I have to remember I'm an amnesiac? There's an oxymoron to tell Mom and Sis.'

'... I wonder how they're doing? I know mom had to hit the sake hard to sell her part, she managed to stay sober for the last half year, so I hope she doesn't fall back to the liquor for my sake... Nah, Sis will keep her straight, she won't even touch her if she smells like Sake, and she likes sex more than she does sake.' Naruto snickered to himself on that bit. At first, it was odd when it happened, Shizune and Tsunade beginning a relationship, one he kind of started for them, but they didn't regret it.

'After that, there's likely the fact that Hiruzen will want something from me, sooner or later. But my most immediate problems will be the other academy students, the instructors and then my Jonin sensei whoever that is.' Taking another swig, he stared at a wall as his thoughts continued. 'I don't want to reveal my abilities all at once, so far only Hiruzen and Jiraiya know in the entire village if security is good. If not a good few more people know, but that doesn't have to mean everyone needs to know yet. So I'll reveal them as needed.'

'There's likely going to be a few more attacks on my person in the near future. No need to hold back so much, but I have to remember to break them, not kill them. What else... Need to establish my amnesiac persona a bit more, but enforce I ain't gullible.' Finishing his can, he crushed it and tossed it in the trash in the kitchen.

Getting up he went to the bathroom and pulled off his boxers before getting in the shower. 'I guess that's about it, isn't it? Sure it's a simple rundown but it's enough for now. I'll just have to keep my head on straight, or best as I can for anything that rears its head without my knowin'.' He let the hot water roll down his back as he finished washing. 'Just wait, Mom, sis, I'll see ya again soon enough, count on it.'

He finished his shower and dried off, dressing in a fresh pair of boxers he got his dirty stuff into the wash and quickly unpacked a few things from his storage scrolls, he didn't carry many personal things, just the things that meant something to him. Those, however, stayed packed, he only unpacked things he could replace easily. Getting dressed in Identical clothes, he set his gear onto a side table, sitting in his chair he set to the corner, the tanto on the other side table, ready to be drawn. Lights off he leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.

 **So? How was it?**


End file.
